Chapter 1: Petals Born on Spring

A beautiful day of march, the shore mostly quiet, save for a steamship docking on the Kyobashi district's port, with it's deep and loud horning. The girls at the porch of the Hotel Central, on the shoreline, could see it clearly, from where they stood after breakfasting, as the old man calls them to go with him fetch the foreigners.

---

As the ship docks, multiple travelers leave with their luggage. Among them, stood two European girls, one having her royalty-rank concealed from the crowd and crew.

Descending the footbridge, they can spot the ones awaiting for them, next to a car, a middle-aged man dressed in a fine grey frock suit with vibrant green waistcoat and blue tie, he waved at them; next to him, stood an older, more corpulent and shorter man, wearing a servant's atire; on his other side stood two charming young ladies, just as those who descended from the ship. The gentleman seemed like the kind grandpa type, always smiling, but with intelligent and mysterious eyes, catching every detail around him.

Greetings, mademoiselles... He says, playing with a bit of French, "I hope your voyage was a pleasant one? Mister Kido here will take care of your luggage..." He adds, as he then greets the man coming behind the French lady.

"Oh, let me introduce yourselves! These are misses Homura Kusakabe and Abenanka Kim'Unko; they are ladies Claude d'Armagnac and, uh... (duh, I'm not sure what he should call 'Chimera Roosevelt)" He says, indicating the two girls who were with him. "As for me, I'm Colonel Akira Hoshikawa... Though you shouldn't call me colonel in public, heheh~"

---

.

As Tokyo draws closer, Chimera is visibly thrilled for what's to come, fighting (and failing) to hide her elated grin as she leans against a wall to mysteriously brood in shadows. As the ship rolls into port, Chimera makes her way to the prow to strike a pose. She stands imperiously, crossing her bandaged arms as she puffs her chest out, letting the jacket on her shoulders billow out into the wind.

After the Colonel's greeting, Chimera snaps into a pose, one hand over her eyepatch and the other outstretched towards the greeting group. "Do you hear it? The winds speak favorably of our fates intertwining. I have borne witness to your names, and so you will bear witness to mine. I am Chimera Roosevelt—engrave my name into your soul, for we are now comrades!"

Claude stood on the deck, leaning onto the ship's railing, letting the wind play with the long red hair, patiently watching the harbour as it comes nearer, and occasionally glancing at the other people on deck. Dominique was topside too, standing by near one of the exits from the quarters area, relaxed but ready to approach at the slightest signal of summons.Upon being introduced, Claude bows in a courteous yet effortless manner to everyone, with Chimera being given a deeper bow.

"Pleased to meet you."

A couple of steps behind, the valet does likewise, albeit in this case the gesture carries more restraint and formality.

Abenanka, as usual, feels awkward around Homura. She feels awkward around anyone, as though she's not suited to the body she inhabits, she would admit in respect to her companion. Even still, she steals a glance or two out of the corner of her eye before the new arrivals appear. If she'd had her way she wouldn't have been there to greet the new arrivals in the first place, but she'd been persuaded and the presence of acquaintances helped.

Her eyes drifted up to the gulls wheeling around in the bay. They seem so free, squabbling over petty things like flight lanes and choice fish. Nothing matters up there on the thermals and the sea breeze. A smile creeps onto her lips, and she takes one of the charms hanging from her wrist between her thumb and forefinger, before the Colonel speaks and drags her back to reality.

The two arrayed before her are more surprising than she'd expected them to be. One, the princess, reminds her of her younger sisters back in the far north. They'd been more energetic, always getting into fights over matters of opinions. They had a driving force that Abenanka had always envied.

The other, Claude, shone with a similar fire as Homura. She didn't have the same kind of charm as a lady of Tokyo, but she looked like she'd be a handful all the same. For better, Abenanka tries her hardest to avoid staring, and when the Colonel introduces her she bows low. She's surprised at the use of her Ainu name, having become so used to her Japanese name from spending time in Tokyo.

"Um, you can call me Chizuru if it's easier." She glances at Homura again, then averts here yes. "It's my honour to make your acquaintance."

Homura idly twirled her oil-paper umbrella as she watched the steamship pull into port. She wasn't sure what to expect from the new arrivals, knowing little about them. The colonel had been cagey about it on the drive over, and after failing to pry much out of him, she gave up and decided she'd keep an open mind. More allies was always good.

She bowed as the Colonel introduced her. Her outfit seemed designed to be incognito, boasting shades and a darkly patterned kimono, her umbrella held close to her body to keep a decent amount of shade over her face. Considering the secrecy of the project, she didn't want to be recognized.

Chimera's opening spiel and dramatic speech left Homura momentarily speech before she ended up laughing. "Hahaha! What was that? That's adorable." After a few seconds, she'd stopped laughing enough to greet her. "I can't wait to work with you, kameraden! You seem like you'll be fun."

For some reason, the name "d'Armagnac" sounded vaguely familiar to Homura, but once she lays eyes on Claude and gets a better look at her, she starts to recognize the French noblewoman.

"Don't I know you from somewhere?" Homura lowered her shades, revealing large violet eyes that scanned Claude. She's older, but she's got that same unforgettable smugness... "Wait... You're that stuck-up French girl that accused me of being a thief at the Victory Gala." Her expression grew sour.

As the girls introduce themselves and recall old acquaintances, the servant loads the luggage on the car, with Claude's being handled by her loyal retainer.

When everything is ready to go, they drive towards their destination, the Imperial Café-Theatre, this establishment currently fashionable in France, imported directly from the young empress, being very found of that culture herself.

As the party leaves the docks and goes into the streets, they see them bustling with smiling and kind people, the destruction of the Great War seemingly a distant memory.

The people of Tokyo is like that: as the war ended, everyone united together to reconstruct, it was quick and easy. The empress invested highly in the reconstruction also, improving the infrastructure of the city to fit modern standards, and investing heavily on the Arts, culture and entertainment to uplift the people, the café we're heading to being a proof of that. That's one of the reasons of the secrecy of our mission, to maintain the peace of mind and tranquility of these people, while our work on the café shall uplift their spirits all the same!

---

The streets where also filled with all kinds of different vehicles, steam-powered cars ran alongside carriages, either horse or men-powered. The wide sidewalks too, are filled with many kinds of steam-powered paraphernalia, from public phones, electric lights and vending-machines. The worldwide rumors that Tokyo was becoming the most technologically advanced city in the world were to be held true.

On the northern corner of the Ginza 'island', the district where entertainment businesses where most concentrated, stood the Café, the final touches of the construction still underway, with wooden scaffolding covering most of the western neoclassical façades (it faces both the north and west); the building had a T-shaped layout, with the main wing giving to a flowery yard to it's right and an elevated terrace to it's left, with nice fountains centered on both of them.

In the middle of the wide northwestern street, from where a glimpse of the Imperial Palace could be seen, the tram crossed regularly, carrying people around; narrowboats could be seen just ahead, below the balustrade, crossing the canals.

---

Here we are, that's the Imperial Café! We're still working on the façade and some rooms, but it is practically functional... And shall suit your stay cozily enough~ Mister Hoshikawa said, to which the servant old man replied: "Most important for you, the bar is fully stocked!" Making Hoshikawa laugh embarrassingly.

At the Café's door, stood a huge man in a yellow and green suit. "That's Tsutsumi, the security guard and doorman for the café." Explained Hoshikawa.

"A pleasure to meet you, ladies." He said in a deep and warm voice, bowing cordially.

---

Through the holes on the yard's walls, the girls could also see a young maiden in white and pink robes tending to the garden. She offers a modest smile to anyone looking.

As you finally enter by the main door, looking at a wide room, currently being furnished to operate as a café and bar: the centre of the room is lowered some steps, filled with round tables, while the corners form a wide elevated lobby, with more tables, counters and bars, where the staff should be, attending to clients.

In there, a beautiful girl, around 18, wearing a stunning flowery yukata of deep-blue, purple, lilac and similar tones stood idle, until noticing the arrivers. "Oh, there you are, father and... New girls! I'm Rika Hoshikawa, nice to meet you all." She said excitedly.

"Heh, this is my daughter everyone, she's the theatre's dressmaker and a fine tailor." Mr. Hoshikawa says, with a proud smile.

"Ah, you are the starlet in whose possession my signet was found," Claude responds, completely nonchalant, then continues with an amused, ironic smirk. "Seems indeed the winds intertwined our destinies already, years ago, now ensuring utmost camaraderie."

The smirk gave way to an expression of genuine curiosity. "But do tell, over these years, did anything come out of your intent to prove another culprit?"

---

At the other introduction, Claude bowed once again, letting the green eyes linger on the tailor in unspoken admiration for a moment too long. "Delighted to meet you too. I am Claude."

"Hmph... No." It annoyed her to admit it, but it was hard to prove, even if her gut feeling told her exactly who set her up. Yuki, that weaselly little...!

"Even so, I wasn't a thief back then, and I'm not one now, so don't go accusing me of anything again. Got it?" Not waiting for a response, she turned on her heel and walked away.

---

Homura was quite impressed by the sight of the Imperial Café-Theatre. Incredible... Though she preferred Japanese architectural styles, she could appreciate the taste that went into the imposing yet inviting neoclassical building.

When they entered, she closed her umbrella and took off her shades. She looked forward to exploring more, but a more important thought burned in her mind: the petalframes. So far, she's heard that she and the others fit the qualifications to pilot these experimental weapons, but she's yet to actually lay eyes on them.

"Nice to meet you," she bowed to Rika, flashing a photogenic grin seen on many magazine covers. "I'm Homura Kusakabe. Your yukata is gorgeous! I'd love to commission some outfits from you sometime."

She turned her steady gaze to Akira, eyes burning with resolve. "Colonel, will we be getting familiarized with the petalframes today now that d'Armagnac and Roosevelt are with us?"

When she wasn't delivering an embarrassing dramatic self introduction to whoever is introduced to her, Chimera is curiously looking around at the surroundings. When Homura mentions petalframes, Chimera's eyes sparkle. Hopping from feet to feet, Chimera looks up at the Colonel like a kid talking to Santa.

"Oh, the armaments through which we will pierce darkness! Can we?"

The two ladies almost overwhelm the man with their eagerness (the second one, specially), he steps back with a chuckle. "Heh... Now, don't be impatient! If commander Moriyama witnessed that, he would put you through an excruciating lecture about how a true warrior should be temperate and patient~" He plays off, "The petalframes are in the basement, undergoing some final calibrations, I beg you to wait just a moment~" Hoshikawa finishes, explaining it to Chimera like she were way younger than she actually is, though if he was serious or teasing, it's hard to know.

After that, his daughter whispers something in his ear, to which he relays to the girls: "Now, if you are so eager for action, I do have an initial assignment for you!" Snickering, he adds: "I need you to follow my daughter's guidance, she was about to leave for an important task, you see? Your presence and help may be necessary. On the meanwhile, the servants will accommodate your luggage on your respective rooms... If you excuse, I have work to do; we talk more at dinner."

He bows and leaves nonchalantly.

---

"Alright, let's go! You can enjoy the opportunity to get familiar with the city. You know, get acquainted with the battlefield... That stuff is important, right?" She says, bringing the willing ones, through the streets, to a local spring fair raised on a traditional pavilion. There are tents selling trinkets, toys, sweets and snacks; there's also street entertainers of all kinds. Rika eyes everything with delight, specially to the tent selling fine cloths from abroad.

Claude goes along with the group, walking at the side, dignified and vigilant, slipping into the familiar role of a royal guard escorting a princess (or several of them) on a venture outside the palace. Is it conspicuous? Eh, maybe a little bit. But hostile intelligence agents surely already knew of everyone's arrival in Tokyo from other sources by now. If the higher-ups wanted anonymity, they shouldn't've recruited a foreign princess, a gorgeous model, a scandalous noble, and maybe not even whoever Abenanka is, for this task.

As the group goes through the fair, Claude keeps looking around, getting a feel for the new locale and its people, but paying little heed to the tents - until suddenly throwing a thoughtful glance at a tent with a shooting gallery handing out plushies and other prizes.

Why does it feel like we're being brushed off...? Homura's annoyance was palpable, but she went along with the 'assignment' without much of a fuss. If the petalframes weren't ready yet, there wasn't much to do about it. Besides...

---

"Fair food is so good!!" Homura crowed, both arms filled to the brim with various sweets and snacks picked up from the various vendors they passed. She certainly wasn't eating like someone who needed to carefully curate her diet, which only made her slender figure more mysterious.

"Abenanka! You haven't been to a fair, have you? Try some!" Homura was suddenly in front of her friend, holding out a takoyaki ball on a wooden skewer. She thrust the takoyaki into Abenanka's mouth and turned to Chimera. "You too, kameraden!" She forcefully feeds Chimera a takoyaki ball in the same manner.

Homura noticed how the shooting gallery seemed to catch Claude's eye. Feeling a competitive streak coming on, she challenged Claude. "You want to try that out? I'll go with you. Let's see who can get the highest score."

Like usual, Abenanka took to long to ponder statements and the like and missed her chance to ask questions. It wasn't uncommon, or if anything it happened more often than she cared for it. She always ended up with more questions than answers, and no one to ask. Instead, as she followed the others who were, frankly, far more outstanding than her she contented herself with making a mental note to submit some written answers down the line.

When Homura thrust the takoyaki into her mouth she blushed furiously and backpedalled a few steps.

"Homura-san, please!" She said in exasperation while holding her hands up. "You mustn't do such things in public, people may misinterpret."

Not that anyone would, no doubt. Besides that, her words fell on deaf ears as Homura had already moved on. Sighing as though long suffering, she fiddled with a charm in her braid and looked around the festival. It's true that she hadn't experienced a festival in the proper Japanese style, such things had been so far from the norm in her childhood. It did seem exciting, though too noisy.

"From the mountaintop on which the kamuy sits, does it see my trails here?" She mused, smirking a little. "Does it laugh?"

Chimera pouts at the Colonel's patronizing tone of voice, but is quickly pacified by the fairgrounds. She munches on the takoyaki ball shoved into her mouth without objection, huffing and puffing steam like a dragon.

Though she's about to go show off at the shooting gallery, she hears Abenaka muse to herself. Should Abenaka look down, she'll find Chimera staring up at her with sparkling eyes as she scribbles down her words in a notepad (along with a doodle of an overly designed kamuy sitting on a mountain).

"Mhm, where's that from, Abenaka? That sounds so cool!"

"Hmm?" Claude turned to face Homura. "Oh, you're looking forward to an excuse to win a teddy bear or two for your lovely friend, eh?" The noble glanced briefly in Abenanka's direction. "I will gladly help you with making that reality. Though I might need to think whom to hand over any prizes in case I get some too."

The green eyes began wandering in a search, soon settling on Rika as the suitable candidate.

The point of Claude's teasing seemed to go completely over Homura's head. "Hm...? I guess? Abenanka-chan does like animals, though she's more into birds than bears. Anyways, let me see what you've got!"

Homura rushed over to the shooting gallery and slapped a 100 yen coin on the counter. "I'd like a go!" She said to the man running the booth.

She picked up a pneumatic rifle and clumsily loaded it. Staring down the sights, she started firing away at the moving targets that began to pop up.

In the end, Homura didn't do that well. She had about sixty seconds to shoot, but by the end of that allotted time, she only managed to hit a few targets.

"Damn it!" She cursed in an decidedly unladylike manner. For her troubles, she won a simple omamori charm. Red with a golden flower pattern, the charm read 'Good Luck' on the front and back. Somehow, it felt almost mocking.

"Your turn." She said to Claude, stepping away to spectate.

Claude hands over the money picks up the little rifle, holding it in one hand like a sidearm awkwardly - the extra weight seems to eliminate Claude's signature finesse with a firearm, but at least allowed retaining a more habitual stance and grip.

The swashbuckler looks at the selection of targets and prizes in the gallery, clearly setting priorities. An upright kitsune doll dressed in a yukata and possessed of fluffy tails. A plush bird that could ambiguously be either a goose or a swan. A bunch of trinkets like very cheap-looking rings with fake jewels, a miniature toy tanto, and the like.

And then the shooting begins.

Once the time runs out, Claude puts down the weapon and leans in to Homura. "Pst, take the bird so you can gift it to your friend," and then proceeds to gently pick up the fluffy-tailed, yukata-clad kitsune from the shelf, approach Rika, and offer it to her, smiling. "And this is for you."

"Wow..." Homura couldn't help but be impressed with Claude's skills. She'd forgotten all about the frustration of her own lacklustre attempt. "You're good. I never had a chance!"

"'Take the bird'? You mean, you're giving it to me?" Homura was confused, but she picked up the large bird plush and walked over to Abenanka, holding it behind her back.

"I got you something! Ta-da!" She presented the fluffy bird plush to her. "Isn't it adorable? Give it a name! Come on, come on!" Homura grinned.

"Hmm?" Abenanka raises her eyebrows at Chimera's enthusiasm.

She definitely finds there to be something sweet about her, something that reminds her of her younger sisters. Part of her wants to reach out and ruffle her hair, but to do something so familiar is completely out of the question. There is something about her blonde hair that keeps Abenanka's interest though. It just might be... jealousy?

"I don't suppose it comes from anywhere." She folds her hands behind her back, like someone used to maintaining a low profile and keeping out of sight. "Just a stray thought. Do you know mountains, Princess?"

Her question is cut short by the sounds of the airgun firing. She gives Chimera a small smile, and guides them a little closer to the range. There the two of them watch, and she's impressed by the skills on display. She can't help watch the expressions on each of the competitors faces, rather than the actions they're taking.

Then, like a whirlwind, Homura is in front of her with a plush. She blinks in surprise, before blushing and averting her eyes once again. "For me!?" Abenanka's wrong footed once again. "I couldn't possibly accept something so generous. Besides, surely something so cute- ah, so beautiful would be more appropriate in your hands."

"Heh, you're a model, right, Homura-san? I could work on some outfits for you to model with! That sounds exciting, doesn't it? Look, those scarlet and sea-green cloths would match you perfec- Uh?" She stops, as she notices the two girls going for the shooting booth.

Homura indeed was lackluster, as expected from someone with one training in firearms.

On the other hand, Claude shows an impressive demonstration of marksmanship! Arising as the clear winner of this little amiable contest. She could almost clean the booth of prizes, but decide not to do so. She then hands Rika the gift.

"Waa!! This is so cute! Thank you so much, Claude-san! I'm flattered..." She says, her cheeks warming up, but not shying as the other gifted.

"Heheh, I already feel we're going to work out just fine as a team!" She was saying, as the group wanders a bit more through the fair.

---

But then, the joyful chatter of the crowd is suddenly broken, changed to screams of terror!

The people all look in fright to the sky, some pointing at something... A flying monster! A mindless beast of the shamon:It flybies through the pavilion where the fair took place, going through a pair of walls and a bunch of booths, just to end right behind the group, among a pile of debris; it could be seen that the creature was around 4 meters tall, almost as high as the two-floor sized building it just went through.

As the chaos ensues, the people quickly disperse and flee, leaving just the girls to hear its harrowing roar as it charges at them. If they look back, they can notice Rika in shock.

What do you do?

"What? Nonsense! Just take it. If someone's giving you something, it means they want you to have it!" She smiled, stating the obvious with unflinching confidence.

However, she didn't get the chance to pester Abenanka further. She's interrupted by the sudden appearance of the shamon. As it landed with a ground-shaking tremor near their group, she cursed.

"Damn it! Here? We've got to call the imperial army—" She stopped when she noticed Rika was frozen in shock. "Don't just stand there! Go, get out of here!" She yelled at her, but it was too late. The hulking, winged shamon was already coming, so Homura stood her ground. The Colonel had entrusted his daughter to her and the others, so she wasn't going to run away.

"Come on then!" Her violet eyes blazed as psychic energy pounded behind them.

"Mountains? Well, I know them as—"

Whatever poetry Chimera is about to wax gets cut off by the shamon descending on the fair. After her initial surprise, Chimera strikes a defiant pose, holding one hand out towards the shamon.

"So you dare cast a shadow on fair days, demon of darkness? Then prepare to be felled, fiend!"

After looking around, Chimera dashes off to grab a roll of the fine cloth Rika was eyeing earlier. Tying off one end to a sturdy looking post, Chimera takes off, zigzags the cloth back-and-forth across the path where the Shamon is charging to form multiple triplines, hopefully slowing its charge.

Claude assesses the situation. Rika got a nudge to snap out of it, good. Princess is running around in the shamon's potential path, not so good. That makes it essential to stop, wound, or at least distract the monster.

Claude unsheathes the rapier and runs towards the rampaging shamon, Blinking onto the roof of a nearby building that happens to be just slightly taller than the target, then jumps onto the monster's shoulders from the back, using the momentum to bring down the blade's tip with both hands on the hilt, aiming at the area near where the shamon's collarbone should be.

Did I hit the subclavian artery? I hope it has a subclavian . . .

Depending on what would happen next, Claude was ready to either twist the blade, keep stabbing, or Blink away from the monster to avoid retaliation.

"D'Armagnac! Make way!" Homura warned, not wanting to hurt her by accident. The moment Homura pointed her finger at the shamon, a thin and blindingly fast line of sparks rushed through the air, exploding into a swirling, flesh-searing inferno once it met the monster and the flammable cloth binding it.

However, that was just meant to keep the shamon distracted while she used a few extra seconds to prepare her real attack. She'd never pushed her power this far before, but there was no room for hesitation in her heart. Her heart pounded, her blood boiled, her very soul ignited as she held out her hand. A ball of highly pressurized flames grew within her palm, shifting from orange to white-hot. A foreign but simultaneously familiar cry emerged from within her heart, and she gave voice to it.

"Saint's Blaze Requiem!"

The pressurized fireball burst forth as a powerful beam that rushed towards the shamon!

While the pair were attacking, Abenanka stepped in front of Rika. She urged others to come closer too, and tried to ignore her heart hammering in her chest. She drew a talisman, a mixture of her native tongue and kanji written in an overlapping style. With a deep breath, she held it between two fingers, her hand resting on the pinkie finger of the other.

"Heavenly spirits of the air I beseech you, stalwart spirits of the earth I bind you." She recited, praying she didn't mess up. "By the instructions here written, take steps to protect us."

At first a shimmering blue light emanated from the talisman, drawing a line out from her. It spluttered and blinked a few times, before eventually growing to form a circle around those that gathered. Each flicker caused a spike of anxiety for Abenanka, but she tried to hold strong as best she could.

Shizuka had been patrolling on the other side of town when the monster had attacked the Spring Festival, crash-landed through a building, and destroyed several festival booths. She saw the pillar of dust in the distance and sprinted across a fairly long distance to get there, but by the time she arrived the monster was already in a crumpled heap and disintegrating into smoke. Luckily, even though there was damage to the festival, it didn’t appear that anyone was wounded.

Her armor and short-sword made it obvious she was part of the city’s police force, a sort of off-shoot from the days when samurai were more prevalent across Japan. She strode into the area with a stern look and ready for combat, but was surprised to see that everyone was fine. She approached the group with a professional, but curious attitude.

"Are you ladies alright? Civilians acting in self-defense against shamon attacks is legal in Tokyo, but not advised—especially for minors. However…"

She trailed off as she inspected everyone with a discerning eye. They all appeared to be very fancy with a few foreigners mixed in, so perhaps they were diplomats from another nation that had been allowed to carry weapons. Rika Hoshikawa was also with them, and she was part of that popular new theater that often played European musicals.

"Looks like you can take care of yourselves. Are you visiting to see a play of some kind?"

Whipping out a small notepad, Shizuka began taking notes on what was damaged as well as all the people involved in the incident.

Claude noticed and immediately stepped to intercept the approaching journalists - bloodied sabre visibly still in hand, albeit held nonthreateningly - giving the rest of the team an opportunity to meet the cameras or slip away as they saw fit. At least the princess surely didn't need any explicit hints, being familiar enough with such situation, and could decide for herself which course of action she'd prefer to take. Maybe she'd even explain it to the others if they can't figure out what's going on.

As the reporters became close enough to talk clearly and began rattling off questions, Claude engaged with them by providing some answers and making statements.

"I just stepped away from one of the local attractions, when I noticed that this monster is making a row. In our family, everyone is raised as a blademistress and a gentleman, so I found it only proper to intervene. I cannot take sole credit for what transpired afterwards - many have contributed to the defence of the fair, and may have since left the premises - but hopefully my performance can be deemed solid," the swashbuckler portrays driving the sabre down into an enemy, showing the depth of the thrust by pointing to the remains of blood on the blade.

"I do admit I got a bit battered in the process, and this might cut my pleasant walk short, but you know, all's well that ends well, and I'll be fine soon enough. So much for having a relaxing day before getting to work though. After all, I have an . . . artistic project to contribute to. I'm sure you'll hear of it soon enough."

Although Claude's measured speech is all good for PR and such, it lacks a certain...panache to it. With a flair, Chimera takes up a spot up in front of the journalists, puffing her chest out with one leg standing on a boulder-like piece of rubble.

"Such modest and refined language, Claude! For those who seek more than an account of what will become the past, turn to the words of I, Chimera Roosevelt, for what will become the future! When you speak of this incident, of darkness dashed in an instant, think of us, the exemplaries of the Imperial Café-Théâtre, the champions of humanity! We strike down terror with fiery aplomb! We bring meaning back to the word 'awe', and we mete it out without limit!"

"Imperial!"

"Café!"

"Théâtre!"

Chimera punctuates each word with a different pose, each ridiculously dramatic. "Remember it dearly, remember it well! As for I, Chimera Roosevelt? I shall take to the wind!"

"Secret Gambit: Heaven Obscuring Mist!"

Chimera throws down a smoke bomb, making a swift exit through the ensuing cloud of smoke. Anybody else who wants to escape attention might take the opportunity to do so as well.

Shizuka's eye twitched as journalists and excited on-lookeres swarmed the area, jostling her around and drowning out her very important police questioning. Since one of them began to regale the crowd, maybe these were celebrities instead of diplomats. But then a smoke bomb went off, allowing one to escape the attention.

As the smoke wafted over the crowd and the blonde girl shouted something, Shizuka began to recall that there was some meeting at the cafe about new recruits arriving. But... she was half asleep during that the meeting, so her braincells really had to work overtime. Finally the lightbulb clicked, these WERE her fellow petalframe pilots! But the whole thing was supposed to be a secret, so she settled on chasing after those fleeing the area.

Busting through the smoke and sprinting terminator-style, she followed the blonde one as her hair stood out the most even though her stature was tiny.

"Hey, this is a crime scene, you can't just run away! Also, what room are you taking at the cafe? Are we gonna be neighbors? Are you from France?!"

Despite her restrained and regal demeanor, Claude successfully takes full control of the whole crowd's attention, with everyone making awed noises as she described how things went, all eyes set on her, and most of the pictures taken are of her, with some also taking the upfront Chimera too, whose apparition just incremented to the show. Now, anything with Claude's name and face in it is pretty much guaranteed to cause public interest, for the next weeks. She get's a +15 benefit for her popularity.

Rika starts to seem quite concerned to everything Chimera is spilling out; she runs for her, but only reaches Chimera as the smoke bomb sets off, covering Chimera's mouth her hand and running for it, to the same route Chimera was planning: "C-chimera-san!! Please be more careful with what you say!" She trying really hard to sound annoyed, but coming up simply as politely worried.

As Chimera is being dragged, she notices the girl running after them, which looked a bit frightening, honestly...

---

Chimera jumps as she sees the police officer stomping after her like a terminator. Try as she might to pick up the pace, the police officer is gaining on her and Rika...terrifyingly fast, actually. Curse these short legs (and thanks for having a reasonable stride length, Rika)!

"Ack—! Have you no sense of tact? Dramatic timing? This is no way to conduct an auspicious intertwining of destinies, you open-hipped hooligan! Now, begone!"

Fumbling a vial out of her sleeve, Chimera throws it on the ground behind her, where it shatters and forms an oil slick.

"Secret Gambit: Giant Slaying Territory!"

"Inter-what? Big words for someone so short. Is everyone is France short?"

Almost side-by-side with Chimera, Shizuka didn't seem winded at all. However, once the vial of oil hit the ground she began to spin out of control on the stone path. He trajectory bent sideways and sent her right into a booth selling various fruits, which she slipped right between by deftly contorting her body. However, directly behind the fruit stand was a horse stable with a big pile of hay, which Shizuka also flew past and slammed right into the stable's wooden support beam.

"Guh--"

She wasn't hurt too bad, but her face had a large red mark down the middle where her face and slammed into the wood. The nearby horse gave her a glance but quickly resumed munching on the hay.

Damn it, journalists and the police? She was very much familiar with the former, given her career, but she didn't feel like dealing with them nor the authorities after that ordeal.

While Claude was busy engaging the crowd and Chimera was being chased by the police officer, Homura looked over at Abenanka. "It's getting far too crowded, huh? Let's get out of here." She smiled. "Oh right! I'm still giving this cute bird to you, no matter what!" She insisted stubbornly.

She held out the bird plush that she'd been holding in her free hand... However, it was completely charred. It was a small miracle that it was still holding its shape.

I burned it by accident!?

The poor bird plush crumbled to the ground in a smoldering pile of ash. "Ahhh! Bird-san! No!" She dropped to her knees to try and scoop it up, but it was already getting blown away in the wind, so she only saved a small handful of the remains.

"Damn...! I'm sorry, Abenanka. Forgive me!" She clenched the fistful of ashes tightly, her disappointment in herself hanging over her like a cloud.

---

It's afternoon, and a waitress from the café brings lunch to the present girls; her tone was strangely casual, for such an exuberant place... Then again, they were having their meal at a minor annexed bar on the side-wing, as the main place was still under finishing touches. Mr. Hoshikawa was behind the counter, his cheeks red from drinking sake, while he listened to his daughter's account of what happened, a very excited account, elaborating on how everyone was heroic and brave.

"There you have it guys, some shrimp scampi with past and lemon sauce; bonne appetite~" She says, delivering the plates on the table, after everyone was done with their starter dish; the plates were brought with forks and knifes. She also served wine and orange juice!

After setting the table, she whimsically turns away and returns to the kitchen with the dishes from the previous course.

---

While having their meal, the doors burst open and a new stern face appears, Rika immediatly quiets down, while her father keeps his drinking, not paying much heed to it. "So you're all already here... Good." He says, stopping short of the table, "I've also heard of your first deeds, and what a start! Heh, I'd normally scold such recklessness... But I guess you didn't had a choice this time..."

"I'm Shinzo Moriyama, the manager of this café... And commander of the Steel Petal Forces." He bows curtly, "I hope we can work well together, and expect your full commitment on the task of defending the Imperial Capital, and it's inhabitants..." And then adds with a crooked smirk: "Naturally, I also expect the same commitment on fueling and uplifting the people's spirit through the café! Mrs. Morinaga will elaborate on that after your lunch."

"We're still working on a captain for the Acrux division, which you're a part of. On the meanwhile, you should have a temporary one... I won't interfere much on the subject (that's Hoshikawa's job), but I've heard good things of Homura-san; while Hoshikawa - no doubt influenced by his daughter's opinion," He remarked, "Would advocate for Claude-san... Furthermore, the police Magistrate is really bent on his daughter being the one... Oh well."

After lingering for a moment, exchanging some words with Hoshikawa, he turns to leave, stopping shortly at the door. "Ahem, your quarters are ready, the staff will direct you to them when you desire."

"Can I have a gallon—no, two gallons—of milk? ...Make that Wagyu milk!" Chimera, obviously still thinking about her short legs, enthusiastically washes down her meal with a copious amount of milk. The jury's out on whether or not that'll pan out into something more than a regrettable stomachache later.

When the talk of the temporary captain comes up, Chimera eagerly nods along as she listens to the commander...even long after he's finished talking about the potential choices. When it becomes apparent that was the entire list, Chimera tilts her head quizzically. "Eh? Was I not considered?"

From behind the bar, Shizuka was out of her police uniform and wearing her normal hakama. It was a more comfortable and breezier than being stuffed into heavy armor. She had just finished pouring Mr. Hoshikawa another cup of sake before hearing Chimera’s order of milk.

"A glass of milk foooor Chi-mer-a-san~"

She set a large glass of milk on the table with a professional flourish as well as a smug expression, although you could see that she had written everyone’s names down on a small notecard in an attempt to memorize them.

"We meet again, I’m Shizuka Gozen! We’ll all be piloting the petalframes together. Ah, don’t run away this time."

When talk turned towards the new team and who would be the captain, Shizuka stroked her chin in apparent deep thought.

"The captain is the one who gets yelled at when things go wrong, I say whoever wants it the most can have it. Or you can spar over it and see who wins!"

"I'll have some whiskey... Actually, just give me the whole bottle." Homura murmured, still dejected from destroying the bird plush. Not even the delicious food cheered her up. Her temporary depression kept her from immediately recalling who Shizuka Gozen was, but as she stewed on it, she finally realized Shizuka's identity.

"Shizuka Gozen? You mean, the magistrate's daughter!?" Homura perked up. "Nice to meet you. I'm Homura Kusakabe. You've got quite the reputation. If you pilot a petalframe as well as you uphold the law, then I can't wait to see you in action!"

When the topic of temporary captain arose, Homura didn't hesitate for a moment. "I'll be the temporary captain! Unless any of you can outdrink me? Don't be fooled by my appearance, I can drink enough for ten men!" Homura boasted proudly.

"Nice to meet you as well, Homura! We'll protect the city from the shamon for sure!"

Speaking of the law, there was a recent change that Homura probably was unaware of since she was so busy with modeling work. Apparently, the same politician proposed a drinking age limitation every year for the last two decades, and his proposal was finally accepted by parliament.

"As of 1922 the legal drinking age in Japan is 20 years old. And I think the dossier said you were 18, same as me. So, no drinking contests."

Claude sat at the table, looking slightly tired, and looked at those who were the source of the endorsement before speaking. "I appreciate the seal of approval. If I understand correctly, for now this is more of a formality for the short period until the captain arrives, not a position requiring genuine command proficiency. I have no intention of contesting the selection," Claude glanced at Homura, "and the resulting period of calm before the big project begins may be a good time to recuperate after the recent encounter. After all, the fall from the shamon's shoulders did wrinkle my coat a bit, so to speak."

Interpeled by Chimera, Moriyama stuttered: "Uh? Oh... Well, you're still quite young, Wilhelmina-san... We would prefer a more... Experienced person for the role, you see?"

At Homura's request, Hoshikawa's jaw dropped, making the cigar on his mouth fall and burning his lap; he jumps from his stool and clumsily wipes the ashes off him, "Ahem... I think Kusakabe-san would be the ideal choice for the temporary captain!" To which his daughter gazed at him with a cranky annoyed face; it wasn't sure if her displeasure was with his sudden change of a favorite candidate, or his criteria for such.

He swiftly grabs a bottle of a Japanese brand and brings it to the table, with two glasses. He pulls a chair and sits by her side, uncorking the bottle.

When Shizuka protested, he gives the same cranky face from his daughter, "Aww, come on, Gozen-san, that law isn't even a year old! Gee, these legislators these days... Have no idea of what they're doing!"

After filling both glasses and handing one to Homura, he adds, in excusatory tone: "Anyway, we're an exception military organization... We're exempted from some laws! Specially under such state of necessity: to test the meddle of our new, glorious captain!!" He toasts and gives a good sip on his glass.

Homura was quite surprised to hear there was now a minimum drinking age. Worse, it was one that she didn't meet. "What? Boo! What am I supposed to do for the next two years? Drink milk?" She complained.

She found the colonel's dodgy reasoning to be good enough, so she gladly accepted the glass from him. "Right! As long as we're fighting to defend our empire, shouldn't we enjoy a few perks? No one will find out if that's what you're worried about, Gozen-san. No annoying journalists are getting past that huge security guard. Tsutsumi, I think that was his name." She brought her glass towards her lips...

"Unlawfully providing alcohol to a minor--the punishments are fines, jail time, and suspension of the offending establishment's license to sell. Minor in possession of alcohol--the punishments are community service and possibly treatment programs."

Quickly unsheathing her sword, it looks Shizuka is about to slice the table into pieces. But instead, she simply uses the blade to block the glass while sliding it away from Homura's hand. While her tone of voice is still friendly, it's clear she's dead serious about her convictions.

"Hoshikawa-san, I assure you that not even secret military officers are above the law. Now, I can't enforce what I don't see, but to pour a minor a drink in broad daylight... I won't tolerate it. Especially before we even get to tour the facility or see our rooms."

Homura was tempted to protest, but Hoshikawa's wink stopped her. It took her a moment, but she understood what it meant. It was okay as long as Shizuka wasn't looking! "Alright, fine. No one would get hurt by a little drink, but the law's the law." She appeared to give in, but she still had a disobedient gleam in her eyes. She could respect Shizuka's dedication, but she happened to be just as stubborn.

She really was rather thirsty though, so she thought about asking for something else for now... She eyed Chimera and her glass of milk. "I'll have what Roosevelt-chan is having, please!" She declared. Though her eyebrows furrowed as she proceeded to have second thoughts.

"Wait, maybe I shouldn't. I heard the petalframes don't have much room. If I get any taller, it could get cramped..." Though she didn't mean to, she was flaunting her vertically privileged stature. "Hmm... Just water, please."

Each reminder, intentional or not, that Chimera is younger, smaller, and weaker than her peers makes Chimera's eye twitch, until she's left caught in a snappish state between sullen and fuming as she struggles to keep her composure. The off-handed comment about the milk by Homura is what makes Chimera stand up and plant her hands on the table.

"More experienced!? Are my years of training to be a leader of the Dutch considered on the level of playing house to you? Some child's play? Should my mother have focused more on catwalks and alcohol in my royal education instead? Perhaps I should wear tall heels to look more 'experienced' in your eyes. This is a farce! At least have the courtesy to disguise it! And one more thing:"

"Call."

"Me."

"Chimera!"

With that, Chimera storms off...circles back to grab her milk...and storms off somewhere. She doesn't really know the layout of the place yet.

Abenanka has been quiet, save for a few small words of thanks and a smile here and there, since the shamon attack. It's not unusual for anyone who knows her, but since the only person who really knows her is Homura that's not that common knowledge. Even still, she finds a space a short distance from the others in the bar where she settles in.

She's produced a mountain of cloth, small stones, and other materials, and extricates a needle and thread from somewhere in her tangle of accessories. She hums softly to herself, though the style of singing comes across deeper than one might've imagined from her, as her fingers work with deft practice. She has only a few modest bites, following a prayer to the kamuy koi, and a simple glass of water for refreshment.

Now and then her eyes flick up to the ongoing excitement, and she chuckles at Chimera's outbursts in the way an older sibling might, but makes no effort to intervene. Same too with Homura's endorsement, when her eyes flick to Homura and hold for a margin too long before moving on.

Eventually, not long after Chimera has fled from the room, Abenanka takes her creation and bows politely to Homura. "It may not be the same one, but our-" She coughs and shakes her head, a small blush colouring her cheeks. "Your bird."

She holds out the small plush.

Shizuka gave Homura and Akira a smie and sheathed her sword with a metallic click.

"As long as you understand what will happen if I catch any illegal activity. As for the rooms--"

Chimera's outburst interrupted Shizuka's subtle threats to the Vice-Commander. She frowned slightly at Chimera's frustration, managing a team of so many personalities was going to be difficult. However, that was now Homura's duty as the temporary captain, plus Shizuka had just been relieved of her barista duties so she was free for the rest of the night!

"AS for the rooms... Now that I'm off the clock, it's first come, first served!"

Jumping back over the bar counter, Shizuka quickly pulled off her apron and grabbed her things. Hopping over the bar a second time, she sprinted out of the cafe area to look for Rika. However when she couldn't find her immediately, she decided to start looking randomly throughout the Imperial Café-Théâtre for something that resembled a bedroom. She had heard that European homes had comfier beds, and was eager to test them out. Although, she had also heard that Europeans didn't like to bathe as much, so she was worried about having to force her teammates into the bath house.

"Dibs on the room with a window and a bookshelf! Outta my way, Chimera-san!"

Blowing past several other people, Shizuka began to test out various doors and hallways to see if they were locked or not.

"Gah!" Moriyama gasps at Chimera's explosion as she runs past him, "Gee... what a pain..." He rubs his forehead in discomfort, "Well, that's a concern for the new captain, good luck." He snarks.

---

As Shizuka finishes her mental remarks on Europeans, she's surprised by the complains coming from behind her: "Woa! That's just mean!! And totally not true!!!"

If she turned quick enough, she could catch a glimpse of the veiled girl showing her tongue, before she quickly defaults: "Ahem... I mean, excuse me... Did someone require medical attention?" She asks, in a very polite voice, a start contrast from before.
"Oh, heheh~ That's Sister Juujisan, she's the acting nurse of our Force." Answering to her, he says: "It was d'Armagnac-san, she got a little bruised on their first stage show, heh~" He finished, his cheeks red from sake, and showing tacit impatience for Shizuka to leave already, so he could drink some more.

"Of course it's my job to deal with a brat..." Homura's expression soured at the commander's remark. As much as she found it troublesome though, he was right. One of a captain's many responsibilities was keeping team morale up, so it was up to her to smooth this over, even if she was only the temporary captain.

"Hey, wait! I want a room with a view of the garden!" She stood up and got ready to sprint off after Shizuka in order to stake her claim on a good room as well, but before she could rush off, she was distracted by Abenanka. The hand-crafted plush gave her pause, taking precedence over finding her ideal room and consoling Chimera.

"Huh? Did you make this for me?" Homura carefully took the small bird plush into her hands. Her fingers ran along the skillful stitchwork. It puzzled her, since she felt like she should be giving Abenanka a new bird instead of the other way around, but her gratitude kept her from questioning it.

"I don't quite get it... But thank you!" She flashed a flawless grin at Abenanka. "It's ten times better than the other one, if you ask me. Ah, hold on!"

Homura reached into her kimono's sash and pulled out the 'Good Luck' omamori charm she'd won earlier. She tied it around the plush doll's neck. "There! It's got something from both of us now. Isn't our bird so cute?~"

Claude steps in Akira and Jeanne's direction, looking at the habit with a sense of recognition. "Indeed that was me. My work did not turn out quite as smoothly as I'd've liked."

"Gah!" She gasps as Claude approaches, finally shaking her head energetically to shake off something in her head. "Ahem, ahem... O-ok, let me see..." She quickly runs her hands on Claude's back, "I see... This isn't so bad... A simple spell should do." Her hand starts glowing with a halo of gold light as she rubs it in the hair next to the injury, "T-there you go, it should be completely healed by tomorrow morning." She says, turning back and running away in a hurry.

---

As night sips in, the Hoshikawas leave, and the girls can go to their rooms, where their luggage would be already organized in closets and wardrobes; indeed, the beds where fine European models, and very comfortable.

But then, as it was almost a reasonable hour to go to bed, the whole theatre sirens an alarm! It meant shamon threat in the city!

"Here we go again," sighed Claude, crudely threw on the bedsheet like a toga, grabbed the two weapons and the stack of clothes, and rushed in the direction of the area designated for relocation in case of alerts.

Chimera, who had found a training room instead of her room, was up doing some emergency physical training when the alarm rang. She strained to finish one last pushup before getting up from her knees, bent over and panting. Wiping the sweat from her face, Chimera struggles to catch her breath.

"Oh, so...hah...a devil dares encroach when its brethren has...hah...yet to be ferried across the river? Then let us reunite them so they may travel to the great beyond...hah...together!"

After finishing her dramatic speech to the empty training room, Chimera drains yet another glass of milk before heading to the staging area.

After a few failed attempts, Shizuka found a suitable room at the hall with a window close enough to the ground for her escapades. She brought a lot of gear and material from her police work into the room, and spent the night setting up a huge map of Tokyo and a work desk. It was looking more like a detective's office with a bed, but the alarm interrupted her late night decorating. Unaware of what the alarm specifically meant, she arrived in the main lobby with her sword drawn and ready to fight off burglars.

"Are we getting robbed?! Oh, hello everyone."

Sheathing her weapon, she waited for someone to explain what all the alarms were for.

Abenanka frowns at her room. It takes a moment to get over the embarrassment that someone else had taken out her belongings to store them, and after she decides there need to be some changes.

First she takes the bedclothes off the bed, and arranges them neatly underneath the window in a fashion that looks somewhat like a nest. Then, with effort, she shifts the bed over to the far wall to give her more space. She sets a number of prayer flags to hang from the ceiling, and lets the window open for more cool air. Finally she prepares her clothes for the following day, and hangs them from the ceiling as well.

With her redecoration finished, she climbs onto the windowsill and sits looking at the moon. Now in her civilian clothes, she looks a lot more colourful and she stands out against the darkness. She fans her face, letting her guard down and showing how much the heat of Tokyo gets to her. The alarm practically sends her falling from her perch.

Regaining her composure, she turns and walks to the door. She hesitates, then returns for her formal jacket before heading to the meeting point calmly and without haste.

When she got to her room, Homura spent a while rearranging her outfits to her personal tastes. Between her personal purchases and clothes that she often got to keep from shoots, she had more than she knew what to do with. She had less space here in the theater, so maybe it was time to get rid of some clothes.

"I'll keep this, and that... This can go. Oh, but this is definitely staying...!" She muttered to herself as she deliberated intensely.

Once her curation was over, she'd cut her collection of outfits down by roughly half. She wiped her brow as she looked at the discarded mountain of clothes. I suppose I'll donate these.

From the window, she noticed night had settled in, so she began to get ready for bed. She changed into a comfortable blue yukata and styled her hair into a loose bun, but just as she began to climb into bed, the shamon alarm started blaring.

Another shamon? That was two in one day, which she found unusual. However, she couldn't help but feel excitement bubbling up within her. If the petalframes were ready, then this could be the perfect test for them. She sprinted out of her room and headed for whatever area they were supposed to go in the event of a shamon alert.

Not knowing where to go, the girls all meet in the main lobby; Rika seemed to predict that, and was waiting in there.
"Oh, there you are! Sorry for the inconvenience, but it seems that beast you fought earlier was part of a larger incursion! Quick, come in here!" She guides them to the hall next to to the lobby where, behind an old painting which slid off, a hidden elevator that leads down.

When everyone is inside, Rika press the buttons, and the metal ornate grid closes, the elevator quickly descends... And descends.

After seemingly some ten floors down, it finally stops: the girls can see a huge complex, with them landing on a platform where multiple people in uniforms worked on tables full of different displays and buttons, at a central table, Moriyama stood, waiting for them, next to Hoshikawa, both wearing military uniforms, displaying their high-patents and multiple condecorations from the War.

When everyone is by the table, he starts: "Listen up everyone: We spotted multiple shamons on the Reiganbashi docks. Our intelligence believes they came together with that beast you fought earlier, but kept hidden...

The area has already been evacuated by Mimoza Division, we just now need to eliminate those shamons before they destroy the whole area, or move to threat a non-evacuated one.

this is going to be your first deployment as the Acrux Division of the Steel Petal Force... Please, do your best!"

And with that and a salute, he dispensed you to go into the petalframes... Those jewels of steam-technology, currently the greatest weapon of mankind against the shamon threat, powered by the warrior's own soul (and currently an auxiliary battery... They're working on that)!

"Heh, I'm still working on your uniforms, so today you will have to fight in your normal clothes~" She said, smiling embarrassedly and showing her tongue, "I-I promise the wait will be worthwhile! For now... Though it isn't ideal, there's no big deal about not having them either... You will just have to put this on..." She says, showing them greyish-brown capes, that would their shoulders and upper body like ponchos, it seems made of some rubbery polymer, and has plug-holes in it, "This capture your spiritual power and make sure it goes into powering the petalframe, instead of dissipating in the air!"

When it's all set, the girls are inside their open petalframes, wearing the cape, with cables connecting it to the petalframe's interior. As they're unplugged from the cables powering the auxiliary battery and turn initial ignition, they start humming, louder and louder, until steam jets blow from exhaust pipes in their back.

Rika gives them each a big key-thing, around 40 centimeters long, though not very heavy, "These are your soulkeys, each are attuned to the owner, and are used to start your petalframes!"

After starting them and getting in position, the girls can move them freely, like the thing is just an extension of their body. After some initial trying, they can also conclude they're pretty agile, in fact, with steam propulsion, they can slide and dash at great speeds.

"Alright, now to you getting there: the petalframes are capable of locking on the railways and using their auxiliary power to drive at full speed stably on them. Gagrux and Mimoza divisions will work to set the best pathway, and to redirect any obstacle... Now, good luck to you!"

---

On the meanwhile, on the island district of Eiganbashi, encircled by the canals and the Edogawa river at south, where some habitations lie on the northern side, while the southern is occupied by dockyards.

The place was completely desert and quiet, one could say, until the silence would be invariably interrupted by a roar and destruction. There are a bunch on shamons in there, smashing buildings and infrastructure.

Shizuka felt excitement brewing in her stomach as the group dropped deep down into the facility. The mission didn’t seem complicated, but it would be her first time using this type of machine in battle. With the military-clad people surrounding her she felt more like a test subject than a warrior about to save Tokyo, but the feeling quickly passed once Rika handed her odd-looking cape and a soulkey.

Quickly putting on the poncho, Shizuka did some basic stretches to make sure it wouldn’t slip off while inside the petalframe. Her soul key was a thin, long rectangle made out of a pristine silver-looking metal. Getting everything plugged up took her a while since she didn’t read the manuals, but eventually she was ready to go and standing outside her mech.

Her petalframe was green and build for primarily for defense with a large shield and thick armor, although it also had a sword and pistol for combat. Once everything was ready, she stepped into the open cockpit and waited for the mission to begin. She didn’t have to wait long, as the mech snaped shut, and after a moment of darkness the internal systems began to glow and bootup. Several operating systems flashing across the screen, but eventually she had full vision of the facility’s interior and nearby railways they would use to launch.

"Oh, this is great! It’s so roomy compared the police mechs, and moves so fluidly!"

Twisting her arms around caused the petalframe to do the same, and Shizuka checked all of her appendages and equipment eagerly. Then, walking to the railway system she took a crouching position as her petalframe began to slowly move, and then it steadily gained speed and roared down the rails like a tiny train.

"Hahaha, I’m flying! Well, I’m more like a train… Where are the others?"

Looking at her various screens, she found the radar and saw that she had zoomed ahead of the other unintentionally. Also, she left her radio on this whole time had been shouting into the microphone.

"Hey, there’s a lot of shamon! Are we going to team up against them or fight one-on-one?"

She asked the question, but still sped for the nearest shamon with her shield held out in front like a battering ram. Launching off the rails and over the dockyards, narrowly avoiding clipping the top of a boat. She attempted to land directly onto the shamon shield-first while intenting to follow up with her petalframe’s short sword.

"Illegal destruction of property, and an act of war! The punishment is elimination!"

Chimera is similarly excited about finally getting to pilot a petalframe, her frustrations allayed for now.

Her petalframe would look like a robin's egg with its round shape and pleasing shade of sky blue if not for the menacing metal spikes jutting out of its back, which act to project weather phenomenon. In its hands lies a scythe with a mechanism to allow it to extend a chain between its head and shaft. In other words, Chimera loves it.

She'll have to acquire a cape for the mech at some point, but the lack of one doesn't dampen her spirits. Chimera basically jumps into the cockpit after slinging on the plugcape. After striking a few poses to test out the mech's mobility, Chimera nods in approval.

"A fine vessel worthy of my ambition! Now, to strike fear into the heartless!"

Once on the rails, Chimera boosts her speed by projecting a gale force wind behind her. Once she reaches the docks, she uses the momentum to launch herself off of the rails. She extends the scythe's chain to grapple one of the shipping cranes, swinging high into the air in such a way so that she is silhouetted by the moon above.

"Look upon me and despair! Tempest Fury Prelude!"

With great aplomb, Chimera unleashes a storm of lighting strikes onto the shamon below as if she were the storm cloud, aiming to thin them out with her shock and awe tactic.

The moment Homura inserted her vermillion Soul Key into the ignition and twisted, she was briefly overcome with a wave of new sensory information as her petalframe roared to life. Once she adjusted, she was aware of every system, every tool, every joint as if the mecha were her own body. She felt the invigorating sensation of her spiritual power flooding outwards, a feeling she found almost identical to when she used her pyrokinesis, but it was to a much greater extent, as if the petalframe acted as a force multiplier for her soul.

The petalframe itself was a strikingly deep orange with purple accents, reminiscent of a sunrise coming over the horizon. It held a heavy flamethrower that seemed more than sturdy enough to serve as a bashing weapon in a pinch. A firmly secured tube led from the weapon to a pair of armored fuel tanks on the petalframe's back. She wasn't sure what the tanks contained, her best guess would be some form of diesel or consecrated oil, but the specifics didn't matter to her as long as it was effective on shamons.

After she had tested out her mobility with everyone else, she was ready to go. "Acrux Division, move out!!" With that, she propelled her petalframe along the rails, following the designated paths.

"Slow down! You're pulling too far ahead!" She shouted over the comms to Shizuka and Chimera, to no avail. She grumbled, before coming to the realization she could catch up. She kicked off of the rails and fed her spiritual power to her thrusters, reflexively deploying them from sliding panels on her petalframe's legs, shoulders and elbows. Gritting her teeth as the G-forces pulled at her, she arrived in a close third place, soaring over the docks.

"We're teaming up, of course!" Homura replied to Shizuka's question, even as the latter leapt into the fray without waiting for an answer. "Watch each other's backs, and do not get surrounded! The commander said the area's been evacuated, so go all out!"

She followed up Chimera's lightning strikes by unleashing a powerful torrent of flames on the freshly electrocuted shamons. Leaving that bunch of shamons behind to burn, she flew around, laying down an oppressive blanket of flames wherever she could see shamon activity.

"Send them back to hell, Sunrise Flare!" Homura roared, christening her prototype petalframe in the heat of the moment.

Claude accepted the cape and soul-key and hastily relocated to the designated frame, preparing for the launch. Once everything is in order, the noble hopped into the canopy and closed the hatch, and cheched that everything is connected.

La Rose Verte stood up from the rack, and made a few dancing motions, drew a blade, and made a few flourishes before sheathing it again, and rushed towards the deployment rails.

"My deepest apologies for my tardiness; I am catching up to you."

The Rose shot into the air, aiming at the same general vicinity as the princess, but then used its thrusters to adjust the course and begin closing in to those shamon that were deemed to have the highest risk of flanking the Fury. The frame went for quick cuts, rapidly repositioning after each engagement.

Hana rushed down the stairs and collected her cape from Rika, bowed to appologize for sleeping late. She'd been up late studying the manual for her petalframe. She felt the material of the fabric, it was rubbery, she suspected it might be hot to wear in battle but she donned it as she hurried towards the Petalframe's hangar.

Standing before her was her Viper Lily, she had seen it's pictures in the manual all evening, she rushed up the ladder to enter the cockpit and ran her hands over the controls. The leather-stitched grips upon the joysticks felt warm under her palm. Her delicate fingers traced the retinal display as her HUD began to power-on.

"Systems online, scanners online, weapons online, all systems nominal." the robotic voice was feminine, she recalled how her sister used to talk about how each petal had it's own personality, or so it seemed. "Hello" she said to the mechanical voice, "I'm Hana, together we are one, I will be your Maiden.".

The system did not reply, but Hana felt within her breast a swell of confidence, she felt powerful. Those shamon were going to pay for her sisters death, this was her opportunity, the start of the end.

She tested the balance and the controls, as she began to walk out of the hangar area, the suit seemed to intuitively respond to her thoughts and motions, she found it easy to regulate the distance between steps. The petal's long deer-like limbs were not awkward, but felt natural.


She broke into a stride, her suit not having boosters to fly like Claude's. The Viper Lily's steps were widening in stride, 5 meter steps, 8 meter steps, 12 meter steps, soon she was bounding 30 meters between each stride. The hoof like limbs built-in shock absorbtion balancing out the impact of each heavy step, the petal felt graceful. Hana laughed in excitement as she flicked the aim-assist crosshair down over her retina, the scanner blipped as the shamon came into view.

She pulled back the bow, the ratcheting sounds as it expanded to its full form with a chok chok chok and the string sprang to life with an electrifying hum as the energy was stabilized between the refractors on either end of the bow's riser.

She felt the string to test it, the laser arrow began to charge as it materialized.. it felt just like home, in the woods. The arrow sizzled through the air, ionizing the oxygen as it screamed towards it's target, the plucking of the string rang out like a bolt of lightning's thunderclap! Her heart skipped, she liked that sound.

Abenanka didn't share the same enthusiasm as the others. She'd been in conflict before, knew about the strain on the body and the soul. She murmured prayers to the kamuy while the lift trundled down, her usual anxiety reaction of stroking one of her charms in full effect in the rattling metal box that brought her ever closer to the inevitable.

She wouldn't turn away, since her family were the protectors of the forests and the mountains. She'd do her duty, and she'd keep the people she cared about safe. She took a deep breath and stepped out of the lift and onto the hard ground of her future. It took only a moment to cross the space and accept the key to her petalframe. Less time to find the hulking design, hunched forward on it's two sizable front limbs.

"So as the bear wakens from its hibernation in the mountain cave, so too do I become a god." She frowned, a shiver of fear running down her spine. "If only it were so easy."

She glanced over to where Homura accepted hers with confidence, and to the others further still who barely hesitated. Each one had been designed with their personalities in mind, so elegant and spectacular. Not like the lumbering, ugly truth of her own. She worried at the ends of her braid before making the decision to hide herself in charms and drapes once again.

By the time she rolled down the track, shoulders and elbows scraping along the edges of houses because the tracks were too narrow, she'd left her teammates fighting for far too long. Time had come to use those enormous claws for good.

"Heh... Understood, commander!" Homura couldn't possibly relax after wielding such power. She knew now that the petalframes were as game-changing as they were said to be. This could truly turn the tide against the shamon.

And the Fall of Tokyo would never happen again... The half-demolished surroundings reminded her of how Tokyo was razed to the ground nearly ten years ago. The defenses were stripped away by a shamon whose form blotted out the sun, allowing its smaller brethren to overrun the imperial capital in droves. She remembered fleeing with her best friend, Satsuki...

She shook her head, refusing to dwell on those painful memories for too long. Reconvening with the others, Homura brought Sunrise Flare to a stop and vented the heat that had built up during combat. Scalding hot steam hissed from vents and the pipes on the back of the petalframe.

"Good work, everyone. Not only did we stomp out every last one of those monsters, we did it without anyone getting hurt. I call that an absolute victory!" Homura celebrated over the comms.

Crashing through the fishmonger's shed, Shizuka continued her roll and managed to land on her feet. The shed would have to be rebuilt and paid for, by the Steel Petal Force, of course. However, now she was in the middle of several shamon unprepared. As their attention turned towards her petalframe, they unleashed a flurry of attacks that banged up her mech. With the glass cracking and several systems turning red, Shizuka wasn't quite sure what was going on but she could still swing her sword around.

"Ehhh, what do all these flashing lights mean? Oh well, I can still fight!"

Once the battle was over it was clear that Shizuka didn't really help at all, but the rain of magical firepower from her comrades was certainly amazing to see. At the very least, the military scientists seemed excited that her mech sustained so much damage and was still functioning, even if it would take a while to fix. Hearing the "all clear" call over the radio, Shizuka triumphantly flashed the peace sign with her mech.

"Heh, heh. I feel like I learned something about piloting. Maybe."

"Acknowledged," responded Claude to the commander, and let out a sigh of relief.

The Rose kneeled next to some nearby building's raised porch and opened the canopy, letting the pilot conveniently dismount and take a better look at the surroundings, assessing the destruction as well as observing the other frames.

And so Claude stood on the porch, between the stairs and the door, half-illuminated by evening city lights, making it difficult to discern where the layers of the 'toga' ended and the cape began. The sheathed sabre and baldric was still in the swashbuckler's hand, held casually.

"Ehh, is that you Hana? It's me, Shizuka! Small world."

Even though they were far apart geographically, Shizuka's mech mirrored her movements and it looked as though she was talking to an invisible person nearby.

"I'm not used to Rooster #6's thicker armor yet. When I'm on-duty I'm usually perfect at avoiding property damage... Your petalframe is so sleek and pretty!"

Chimera descends from the skies, swinging herself back down to ground level with her chain scythe. A very intentional shockwave of wind accompanies her three point landing onto a shipping container. She'll definitely need a cape for the mech for dramatic cape waving sooner than later. Putting on a proud pose with her mech, Chimera preens from above where the others are standing. Hopefully with her mighty display of power, her competence will be acknowledged now.

When Hana introduces herself, Chimera strikes a dramatic pose with her hand out imposingly, making sure that she's got the right backlighting from the moon.

"To the shamon, I am their reaper. And so they have met their fate. To you, I am your ally. And so we have fatefully met! I am Chimera Roosevelt, the storm which strikes sure! Together, we shall go forth and herald this new era!"

Abenanka lets Yuki-onna come to a natural rest, propped up by it's claws, having dug a furrow in the ground to act as a fire break preventing further damage to nearby structures. Since so much of Tokyo had been built in wood, she'd have to try and keep Homura's fire in check, but that gave her plenty of opportunities for... well...

Taking a moment to herself, she says a prayer of thanks that herself and her teammates are unharmed, then brings the lumbering petalframe around to join the others. She approaches as Hana begins to introduce herself, and stops short. There's something about the newcomer that doesn't immediately sit well with Abenanka, something far too familiar. She keeps a respectful and wary distance, watching the exchange.

Homura rolled up to introduce herself to the newest addition. "I'm Homura Kusakabe, pilot of the Sunrise Flare and temp captain of the Acrux Division! Looking forward to working with you, Takizawa-san."

"That said... Roosevelt-san! No... Chimera-san. You had a good showing today, arguably the best of us all. What would you say to being my vice captain?" Homura offered. Due to Chimera's outburst earlier, she was seeking to make amends somehow.

Chimera pauses in the face of Homura's offer, dropping the dramatics of her self-introduction.

"Eh, really!? Well then, I shall look forwards to seeing how command's receives your endorsement! You have my gratitude for this opportunity, Homura Kusakabe, the Phoenix Flamestorm Eminent!"

Not having any reason to dispute Homura's recommendation, and feeling fatigued after the battle on no sleep, the moment they return to base Abenanka hurries to her room. It wouldn't be the first time she'd been active in the night and had to sleep through the day so the sun doesn't bother her, but the heat does.

Her home was far, far cooler. She leaves the window open and curls up in her nest of blankets, willing herself to sleep.

"Hmmm . . ."

Claude observes the change in the rhythm of flashes, and then suddenly pulls off the bedsheet-toga and throws it into the air, in the direction of these bursts of light.

The cloth falls to the ground, revealing that the swashbuckler vanished.

---

Now to get my bearings . . .

Claude makes a 180° turn, and tries to immediately figure out whether the Blink was sufficiently distant to flank the potential source of flashes, and whether they're still occurring as the decoy sheet falls to the ground.

If I plotted my course correctly, whoever's been the source should now be right in front of me, but not facing me.

After her fancy tricky, Claude turns swiftly as a cat, trying to catch a glance of her rearward to see... White! Her morning-twilight adjusted eyes are hit with a powerful flash, "Gah!! S-sorry for that! I didn't meant it... Oh, I'd better escape before you catch me, right?" She hears from the voice of a young man, the kind that's often higher-pitched when nervous.

Before waiting for any confirmation, Claude can hear the mysterious person running away for his life.

When she regains her sight, there's no trace of him but a camera laying on the ground, besides a bunch of photos: they portray many dramatical moments of the battle, with notes hastily written on their borders: 'Woa! That was so cool!' 'Wild stuff', etc.

There were also photos of Claude, an amount equal to the amount of flashes she noticed: 'That's a girl?!' 'I'm in love!' next to a silly heart-eyed face.

---

After loading the frames on the trucks, they all return to the theatre. After some hours of rest, they report to their commanders, who came meet them while they were having breakfast.

"You all did a fine job... Specially Claude and..." He pauses, wary of causing an explosion, "Chimera~"

"By the way, after you finish your meal, Asakusa-san asked you to meet her at the rehearsing room, she wants to try her new actresses..."

"Actresses?" Hana protested, "We're warriors."

She crossed her arms in detestment of the idea of being 'tried out' as Moriyama put it.

"Shizuka, did you hear that?" she exclaimed then turned back to Moriyama, "What kind of performance are we even participating in."

Then the smell of food hit her and her stomach complained loudly, battling was a sure-fire way to work up a big appetite.. she calmed down a bit at the sight of the food.

Back at the threatre, Claude hands off the camera and photographs to Dominique.

"Make sure to keep these safe. If someone tries to get these, alert the Revue immediately. I'll think how to handle this later."

---

"Rumour has it that the Imperial Theatre will host a play imported from oversees, with some even saying it will be the Country Wife, a beyond-La-Manche adaptation loosely inspired by works of Molière. I think that would be a splendid material for tryouts," Claude grinned at Hana.

In a particularly good mood, Chimera can't help but throw her head back to chuckle, holding a hand over her eyepatch.

"Kukuku...so we are to peel back the veil of reality to weave an illusion so powerful, even those aware of its deception fall under its spell! Is there any other illusion, from the magic of grand sorcerers to the tricks of esoteric assassins, that can claim to do the same?"

Chimera turns her attention to scarfing down her eggs.

"That is to say, I will not only oblige, I will excel! Excelsior!"

After chewing for a bit, Chimera tilts her head in thought before turning to Claude.

"...But I admit that I'm not familiar with the story of 'The Country Wife'. If it earns the praises of someone of your class, then it must be a respectable work. Maybe I'll practice some scenes to show Mother when I see her next."

Shizuka laughed, which could be heard even outside of her petalframe. It was somewhat rough even before the damage, as it was built be to sturdy and reliable instead of fast or powerful. It's main feature was a shield that looked like it was used to bash as much as it could block.

"We should catch up later! We also gotta get you in a room and an undercover job at the theater! It's gonna be a blast!"

---

Once the mission was over and everyone was trucked back to the theater for breakfast, Shizuka loaded up her plate and had a huge cup of coffee. She ate as if her life depended on it, but still somehow managed to be clean an efficient. Perhaps due to her upbringing she learned to eat as fast as possible without wasting food. She stopped and took a drink once Moriyama implied they would be actresses.

"Hey, I thought I was an undercover barista, not an actress! If I have one more job I'm really not gonna have time to sleep."

Upon hearing Hana, Chimera, and Claude's reaction, she thought a bit more and spoke up again. But not before downing a small bowl of miso soup, as well as mixing an egg into her rice.

"Well, we ARE warriors, but the petalframes are supposed to be a secret so we have to go undercover... as long as it's a legit theater, and we're not showgirls or something. If I have to be the country wife, Claude-kun, then you shall be my husband!"

Hana nodded at Shizuka and Claude explanation's, accepting it, "Fine, that makes sense as an excuse."

She reluctantly agreed to travel along with the group to find out more about the play.

Claude seems to be momentarily put off-balance by Gozen's suggestion, but quickly recovers. "I did not expect someone to envision me in such a green-eyed role. That would . . . require some imagination in the approach to portrayal, and the result, if successful, would not at all be reminiscent of how I've seen such a dramatic persona portrayed when I first became an audience to this play."

Chimera tilts her head in confusion, before looking down and rubbing her chin in thought.

"Why wouldn't you be suited for the role? Aren't your eyes green?"

After giving it a moment of thought, Chimera reaches an epiphany, lightly smacking her fist into her palm.

"Ah, is it because you're not suited to be a 'Country Husband'? I agree, I couldn't see you doing something like getting all sweaty and dirty with a hoe or a rake."

Claude takes a step towards Chimera, and with a pretentious wave of an arm and a smug grin, begins to speak pompously in a lowered pitch, as if sharing some grand secret to a confidante.

"O, beware, my lord, of jealousy;
It is the green-ey'd monster, which doth mock
The meat it feeds on. That cuckold lives in bliss,
Who, certain of his fate, loves not his wronger:
But O, what damnèd minutes tells he o'er
Who dotes, yet doubts, suspects, yet strongly loves!"

The noble stands casually once more. "That kind of green-eyed. Sir Pinch is a very jealous, insecure character, who wants to keep his spouse - deliberately selected to be from outside the city - all to himself, disapproving of the prospect of her gaining the affectations of other Londoners. He is also middle-aged, and quick to anger.

This combination of traits combines into a demeanour that I am not used to putting on, and that I am not used to wearing, and one that I would find a challenge to make likeable on stage. But it is an interesting challenge, and I think I have an idea how I would approach if were it to become a role for me to play."

---

Claude shrugs and heeds to Rin's suggestion, trying to follow suit with movements that might not be identical, but overall in the same vein. Some might notice that there's an expression of resignation once Rin dissolves the 'rumours' regarding what the first play might be.

"From the little I can surmise based on the description and the familiar names, I find Melissa and Dardano the most enticing role choices, while Urganda and Oriana the least. I am unsure what the final role of various extras entails, and so am unsure whether it would be passive filler, or something that offers a chance to shine for one scene."

Homura seemed ambivalent about the idea of acting in a play. She wasn't against it, per se, but the world of theater was one she knew little about. Regardless, she decided to dance when prompted, following Asakura's movements in a passable manner, though she noticeably struggled to reach the same heights of flexibility when it was necessary.

I can't believe this old lady's doing this in high heels...!!

Her brows knitted as she focused on replicating the dance moves. "Nh... That sounds quite boring, but if it'll lift people's spirits, I'm in! Just give me the most exciting role. You said Amadis wanted to save his girlfriend or something? Give me Amadis, then!" Homura demanded. She made a misstep and fought to keep her balance for a moment, but gravity soon won out, sending her tumbling to the floor. "Agh!"

Shizuka didn't know anything about the play, but based on Calude's reaction it seemed it was some sort of dirty play. Her reaction made Sizuka giggle as she finished her breakfast, saving the fish for last.

"Ehhh, it's one of THOSE plays? I patrol the city at night you know, there are plenty of fake-geisha girls out there putting on performances. Sometimes they do illegal popup plays in the street, and we have to break up them up. Their patrons seem to think the police are part of the show, though, so I've had a few people lunge at me, nothing a kick to the face can't solve!"

After breakfast, the group was basically forced to meet with Mrs. Rin Asakura to figure out what the cafe-theater's first play would be. Shizuka was just hoping that it wouldn't take up too much of her free time, but Rin's enthusiasm was making the play seem like, at the very least, something fun to do in-between training and defeating shamon.

"So there's the hero-guy, his lover, his friend, a bad witch, and a good witch? Can I be the good witch? If I can't do magic in the real world, then at least I can be ~magical~ in the play!"

Chimera's takeaway from Claude's response is that she doesn't want to play a jealous old man and nothing more than that. Any implications of mature subject matter flies over her head.

As far as the dancing goes, Chimera struggles, but not for a lack of will. She's plenty energetic. Rather, her body is not physically capable. For one, her leg definitely does not lift as high as Asakura's, and Chimera almost ends up kicking the other girls.

"I want to be one...hah...of the witches! Yes, I'm sure we will have superb compatibility!"

Claude blinked. Huh, where did that come from, and where is this headed? The puritans certainly would have called their successors' masterpiece one of 'THOSE' plays, but how did Gozen conclude that?
"I wonder if perhaps Oriana would end up being a major yet simple role, being present in many scenes but being not as demanding of active playing compared to Amadis and the two witches. What do you think, Asakura-san?"
"Seems like the two of us are on the villainous team then, unless there is someone else eager to take Dardano's role. And I do think we'd be compatible too. If we end up locked in to these choices, come find me later to discuss our approach to synergy and to how to make the most out of our villainous demanours."

Not slowing her pace, Rin continues: "I see... Homura-san as the hero Amadis, Shizuka as the good sorceress Urganda, Claude as Dardano and Chimera as Melissa! This casting is going well so far..."

She fixates her eyes on Hana, without stopping her dance, "A bit nervous, eh? Heh, I think you would make a great Oriana, as Claude-san suggested! Just pour all of your emotion into it!"

She chuckles as Homura trips, stopping the dance at that exact moment, Homura takes everyone's attention. "Good... We will do rehearsals from now on... If you feel worry, don't mind reaching out to me for some acting classes, heh~ Don't worry, with my precious experience and your great talent, it will take no time at all to turn you into stars!!"

---

With that over, the girls have the rest of the day with no assignments, and are finally free to do their bidding.

Homura uses her free time to approach Rin for some lessons. Now that she was going to be the hero of the play, she couldn't half-ass it. She wouldn't be able to forgive herself if she did! Once she decided to do something, she didn't like to give up or give anything less than her best.

"Asakura-san... I need you to teach me. Teach me to dance and act and whatever else I need to know to give people hope on the stage!" She'd practically shown up out of nowhere to urge the woman to teach her.

Once dismissed, Claude charged Dominique with preparing a quick bath, and spent the waiting time browsing more thoroughly through the items left by the lone wolf cameraman. After the bath, Claude returned to the bedroom to catch up on the lost sleep, and only after that finally went on to wander through the non-restricted areas of the theatre, exploring and perhaps even hoping to see who else might be there.

Once the dancing practice, which felt more like a cardio exercise, had completed, Shizuka was completely limbered up and energized. She touched her toes, bent back, and swiveled side to side. Even though she didn't understand the play aspect, it certainly felt good to move around.

"I don't have work until later, so I'm gonna do some sparing practice if anyone wants to join."

Normally in her free time, she would roam the shops, cafes, and parks within Tokyo. However, she felt like her first time in the petalframes was underwhelming and wanted to practice a bit more before going on a new mission.

Hana worked on refining the steps of the play she was assigned, if she was going to participate in it, she was not about to embarrass herself. She moved with poise and purpose until she had managed to memorize her lines and her coreography. Shortly after that she took a quick bath within her room and continued to study the field manual for her Viper Lily, she was expected to perform on the battle-field as well as the theatre, being a Blossom Maiden was turning out to be much more interesting work than she had anticipated.

She wondered if her sister had ever done any plays when she was growing up, the thought made her smile.

Chimera, who had just begun considering potential tutors to bother, immediately takes up Shizuka's offer. Surely a fellow warrior would have some cool special techniques to show, right?

"So you seek to sharpen steel with steel! Very well, let us be the blade and the whetstone. Come, I shall cut us a path forwards to a brilliant future!"

With a downward chop of her hand, Chimera darts off. In her haste for greater power, Chimera may not have considered the reality of what it would be like to spar with someone who's proven the significant gap in physical prowess not even a day ago. Forget about sharpening, the blade might just break the whetstone casually.

Homura underwent some instruction from Rin. Though her acting skills were amateur at best, she did her best to put her heart behind each line and movement, injecting a certain presence that wasn't easy to replicate. She might be a diamond in the rough... She just needs polishing. Perhaps a lot of polishing.

"Arrogant knight, full of villainy, now ye shall pay for the evil that ye did. Arm yourself at once. If not, I must kill you unarmed, for with evildoers like you, one should have no restraint!" Lacking an actual prop sword to brandish, she used a broom instead. "Have at you!"

Abenanka hadn't spoken much at all since they'd gotten back from their first sortie. Not just from heading straight for her bedroom, but at breakfast and beyond too. She'd eaten in silence, breaking it only for prayers given under her breath. It wasn't unusual for her to get nervous with a new group, or to appear aloof, but something about the situation felt extra awkward.

She'd calmly approached the room where they would dance, not too interested in following through. Being part of a play held no interest to her, no more than idle activity. The way to guide the people into happiness would be to listen to their concerns, and address them directly. That might've been time consuming though, she'd concede that.

She listened to the roles as she limbered up, and began to stretch. She didn't follow the dance moves, but showed an adapt knowledge of her physical limits. She had impressive flexibility, being more than able to do the vertical splits or fold backwards onto her hands. A lifetime spent climbing trees and walls, skipping across stepping stones and fighting currents had built her up. Her martial arts practice had refined her.

Thankfully, it all served to hide her expression. The clouds that formed at the choices of casting, the feeling of being overlooked once again. She accepted the role she'd been given, a no name extra, with not just a hint of spitefulness, and knew she'd likely never show up to practice. Her life had made her good at hiding, too, she knew that.

Once dismissed she disappeared. She headed to the highest point in the building, and climbed into the exposed rafters and ribs of the roof as usual for these wooden buildings still waiting to be filled in. Here in the peaceful gloom and shadow, she lay back and fiddled with her charms, idly musing.

"What is jealousy, by another name? Green eyed and sinful, but human to a fault. Are we not all jealous in our desires? We who forced Prometheus to steal us fire because we wanted our own stars. Yet you are my fire, my love, and I shall suffer my daily retribution just to bask in your light." She said, her Italian shaky with a lack of confidence but fluid enough.

Claude, who was wandering through the theatre, overhead the speach and stepped into the attic, bowing courteously and flamboyantly.

"You called? Though I would immediately decry the 'jealous' bit as slander," grinned the foreigner and blinked to the rafters next to Abenanka.

"But you, rising bird, you do look like there is something you long for. Is that envy that can perhaps be satisfied, whether by trading places with another, or by playing the hand you were given on your own terms, and surpassing everyone's expectations?"

Abenanka blushed furiously. She hadn't expected be overheard, let alone anyone here speaking enough Italian to understand what she'd been saying. She sat up ramrod straight, one hand covering her face to try and hide the embarrassment while the other clutched the beam to avoid toppling over the side.

When Claude offered her own take on the situation, she lowered her protective hand a margin to peer at her squadmate. "Surpassing everyone's expectations? I feel as though the bar will rise to stop me." She said petulantly, then shook her head. Her next words were an apology, but with the same abrasive tone. "It's not your fault, I'm being rude. I'm not so sure an extra with one line or so can surpass much aside, though."

She didn't touch on the idea of swapping places with someone. The idea, and who she'd want to swap with, gave her too much hope for her to give voice to that. Instead she tried to play it smooth, and maybe, hopefully, deflect attention away from the obvious.

"There is a long chain of precedents in theatre for one-scene wonders and ensemble dark horses stealing the audience. Extras have the advantage of the bar usually not being raised very high, making any breakout all the more impressive. And adjustments to the scenario can be requested to make more opportunities for scene-stealing.

But of course there are other options. You could try asking the archer - who seemed to express lack of enthusiasm about acting from the get-go - to trade places, potentially landing you the role of the heroine.

You could also try the challenging option of convincing me to trade places, though you'd probably need to do something to sweeten the deal - at an absolute minimum, conspire with setting up a moment for me to shine very brightly too. And you'd have to contend with playing the bad boy to the hilt."

Claude dangles a leg down from the beam playfully.

"Whatever happens, I expect any and all roles would have to face the fierce competition of your lovely friend for the attentions of the audience.

But all of those things are my guesses as to possible ways of wiping that frown off your face. I should temper my guesswork and ask directly: What do you find most desirable?"

"Great, let's go! I have something I want to try."

After running to the elevator and taking it down into the lower facility, Shizuka found a random military officer and had him bring the pair to the training area. He was a bit flustered at first after being cornered by Shizuka and Chimera, but they eventually arrived at the gym that the regular Japanese soldiers used for training. There was a track, pool, weight area, and a large dojo that could hold multiple sparring sessions. There were various weapons to choose from, and even a range that could be used for guns, bows, or magic.

While the two got ready to spar with wooden swords, Shizuka wrapped bulky padding on her limbs. She then waddled over and found the heaviest shield available to us alongside the wooden sword.

"I'd rather spar inside the petalframes but that'd be too dangerous, so this is as close as I can get! Maybe if I practice being bulky and heavy in person, I can be a better pilot!"

Once Chimera was also ready to spar, they got started at the sound of a bell. Some of the regular military member sin the gym stopped to watch what the two new pilots were doing, some even started taking bets.

Chimera starts sweating once bets start getting placed on the fight, but what are dramatics for if not an audience? The closest analogue there is to the Eggshell Tulip's weapon is a kusarigama, so Chimera picks that. However, her main weapons are the various gadgets and techniques that she's picked up, a culmination of her efforts to become a living weapon.

That said, her efforts might amount to more of a barrage of annoyances to Shizuka than an actual challenge. Some techniques, such as wrapping the chain of the kusarigama around Shizuka's limb and electrifying it with a stun gun might be effective enough to earn such fancy names like "Coiling Thunder Serpent". Others, such as trying to kick Shizuka between the legs are...probably misguided, though some of the soldiers watching do flinch.

Though off to a rough start, discovering her talents as a charismatic and famous model don't fully translate to acting skill, Homura shows some promise, specially when giving long speeches, where she puts all of her fiery emotions on it: "Moving... That was neat, Kusakabe-san! You just need to work on your entonation and cadence a little bit... Oh, and remember: you can never turn your back to the audience!" Rin continues explaining, after she watches Homura professing her lines, wearing a mache helmet and sword.

---

On the meanwhile, the training room is grounds for some epic sparring, matching Shizuka's freakish physique and Chimera's impulsiveness... A recipe for disaster! The onlookers start pondering if they're not going too hard...

Besides that, the sparring goes great! Both girls can practice most of their techniques, with Chimera deftly avoiding her adversary's, while Shizuka bravely endure hers, like they were nothing!.

---

After her bath, Claude studies the photos: they were of great quality and with lenses that enabled very long zooming... No more than a handful places in Tokyo would have such thing available for sale.

---

Hana spends her time alone, studying with focus. She manages to get acquainted with the full script, and can reproduce most of her lines by memory... That would certainly be useful later on!

As for her study of the manuals, she can't get too deep in it right now, but enough to know the inner workings of those awesome machines... For someone as mechanically savvy as her, at least...

---

After noon, with the girls all reunited after lunch, Rika shows up, along with Suzumiya:
"Hey there, I finally was able to catch you all! Say, won't you come to Nihombashi with us? We got to pick some items for the theatre... The delivery failed for some reason... C-can any of you drive a small truck?"

"If 'tis Deceit, 'tis sweet Deceit to me. 'Tis time, kind Amadis, to think What Means you'll use to free me from this Place."

Hana practices her lines with he manuscript in her hands, she piroutted in place, almost nailing it.. perhaps that was too much embellishment.

"Love, 'tis enough, no more; the Pleasure is too great."

She draped her body back flowing her kimono backwards, was this the right emotion? She heard the clap clap of the wooden swords beating together, frustrated she headed towards the sound. She better not be the only one practicing, she thought this was supposed to be serious.

The sparring started off normal, and then Chimera started pulling out all sorts of gadgets. And she also kept using weird names like "thunder serpent" when it was clearly just an electrified chain. Holding back her desire to confiscate illegal weapons (they were training for combat so it should be legal), Shizuka powered though the shocking by yanking her arm back pulling Chimera towards her and causing her to release the stun gun.

"Coiling what?!—OOF"

Shizuka was cut off by Chimera’s kick below the belt. Cheap shots that like reminded Shizuka of the street fights that broke out around illegal opium dens. While the police were called for all sorts of reasons, at night there was almost always someone drunk or on drugs causing problems in the city. Channeling her experience fighting the druggie bums who used a similar fighting style, Shizuka came up with a quick plan.

"You… who taught you how to fight?!"

Dropping her sword, Shizuka used her newly freed hand to grab Chimera by the leg and flipped her over onto the sparring mat. As Chimera regained her footing, Shizuka took a big step forward and swung her shield down in a backhand motion to bonk Chimera on the head. The shield was fairly heavy, so it would disarm or otherwise render Chimera unable to continue the fight normally.

"What do I find most desirable?" A flurry of the best possible outcomes come anbidden into her mind.

Most of them are situations where, for whatever reason, the play doesn't go ahead and none of them have to put effort toward it. It would get rid of the nerves and the inconvenience together. Abenanka isn't so innocent as to think anything like that would actually happen though, so those are easy enough to get rid of.

Buried under the rest of it though is the one opportunity for the performance itself that sparks something inside her. The idea of playing Oriana brings her blush back again, but her eyes are lost in the middle distance. She toys with the charms in her braids with bashful fingers before returning to the present with unwelcome clarity.

"That's, well that's neither here nor there." She dismisses Claude's suggestion. "As you said, Homura deserves someone to match her playing Oriana."

She doesn't notice her slip; that no one mentioned Oriana before then.

Claude headtilts slightly. "Deserves, huh. I'll admit, this sounds more assertive than I expected from you, given how modest your attitude was previously. I like it when people shoo away previous doubts - it always looks so life-affirming," smiles the foreigner.

"Well then, in that case you'd need to talk to the archer and see if you can convince her that you can take the hassle of a big role off her hands. After all, she seemed not as enthused as some others to participate when the roles were offered. But we can't take for granted that the attitude would last, so be ready to bring other arguments. Are you ready to proceed with this course of action?"

"It was my mothe—waaagh!"

As Chimera gets flipped by Shizuka, the bottle of "Secret Gambit: Giant Slaying Territory" oil flies out of her sleeve and shatters on the ground. The stun gun sparks, and the training room gets set ablaze.

And so, training ends, amidst panic.

---

Holding a bag of "Destruction Quelling Frost" against the swollen lump on her head, Chimera raises her hand.

"I call shotgun!"

She full intends to try and learn how to drive through observation...if she doesn't get distracted by the view outside the window.

When Hana arrived at the sparring dojo, Shizuka was completely dumbfounded by the sudden explosion. however, she quickly recovered and thought Chimera must be some sort of special, magical genius. After snuffing out a small flame on her hair, she sat up and made sure Chimera was still alive.

"Are you okay?! I'm sorry, I didn't think I hit you THAT hard. Maybe I'm magical after all? Or wait, this is one of your tricks? Do you explode if you get hit hard enough?!"

As she raised her shield up again to test it out, Hana interrupted. In response, Shizuka sheepishly lowered her arm and instead helped Chimera to her feet.

"Isn't rehearsal is for practice? They can't expect me to work at the cafe AND learn lines AND fight shamon AND also secretly do police work."

Either way, it was time for lunch. Shizuka had worked up an appetite after all the dancing, sparring, and getting electrocuted.

---

Shizuka arrived at the truck shortly after lunch with her hakama still singed from her sparring session with Chimera. Things had certainly gotten out of hand at the end, but at least no one was hurt. The sparring dojo itself, however, would need some time to be repaired. She seemed unfazed by the explosion caused by Chimera, but would probably be more careful around in her in the future due to her tendency to... erupt in different ways.

"A delivery from the shopping district? I'll come along! I drove a police wagon once, but I was forbidden from driving again. I thought you foreigners all had servants that could drive and do laundry and stuff?"

Homura was sipping on a refreshing mug of honey lemon tea when Rika showed up. She'd been yelling lines with such vigor that her throat was sore, though the tea was helping considerably. Maybe she should take it easy for now. Rin had even told her to take care of her throat when the lesson concluded.

At some point before they met up, Homura had changed her kimono for a different outfit. She was wearing a white, wide-brimmed linen hat that boasted roses on one side. The frilled neckline of her sleeveless button-up blouse was just on the edge of generous. White gloves extended up to about the middle of her forearms, and a pleated skirt ended just above her knees. Her black choker helped break up the white of her outfit, as did the black handbag she carried, which was a Venetian import.Homura finished her tea and placed the mug down on a nearby table before heading out with the group, her white high heels clicking against the ground. It seemed like no one could drive so far, so she offered. "I can drive us all to Nihombashi. Never liked the idea of relying on someone to drive me around, so I've had my license for a couple years now. I haven't driven anything bigger than my Model S, but I'm sure trucks don't handle that differently." She grinned. Whether that was comforting or terrifying was a matter of perspective.

"S-Model, huh? If you switch to a lorry with no prior experience, it'll feel more like we're all being driven in a Model M . . ." commented Claude with a sly grin, while joining the group, then added innocuously, ". . . in the luggage section. But I guess it cannot be helped."

"What's that supposed to mean!?" Homura pouted, shooting a quick glare at Claude. "Just watch. It'll be a smooth ride with me at the wheel."

When Homura received the keys to the truck, she got into the driver's seat and unlocked the passenger seat for Chimera. There weren't any other actual seats, so the others had to ride in the empty cargo box.

"Hold on back there!" Homura warned them as she fastened her seatbelt. "Just in case!"

She stretched her fingers, adjusted the side-view mirror.... and slammed the gas. The truck jumped from zero to sixty in a few seconds and kept accelerating, rapidly leaving behind the theatre. Humming to herself, she casually cut into traffic and started swerving around the other vehicles and carriages on the road, earning a startled cacophony of horns being blared.

Homura was unphased. "Nothing wrong with passing when you're in a hurry!~" Her erratic weaving through traffic caused the cargo box to swing back and forth. When she took a hard left along the way, the centrifugal force lifted the truck halfway off the ground. Miraculously, it stopped just short of tipping and found all four wheels back on the ground, landing with a teeth-rattling thud.

Strangely though, despite her blatant disregard for road safety, Homura was consistently, implausibly avoiding collisions by just a hair. At least, so far.

Claude discreetely approaches Rika once the workers started loading the boxes. "If we're driving back the same way as we drove here, it would be highly appropriate to spend extra effort on ensuring the cargo is secured very tightly both outside and inside the boxes. Also, why does a military unit with a lorry not have a driver assigned to it? Seems sloppy. Is there someone we can call back at the dislocation to entrust with resolving this problem for the future?"

Abenanka is wary of the truck. She's always been wary of vehicles, having grown up in the mountains far away from vehicles and the like. She treats it like most people would treat a wild bear, with more than enough distance and placation as long as possible. Just like her experience with bears though, the bad luck is she has to climb aboard.

Unlike Suzumiya, she doesn't scream. She does grip her charms until her knuckles go white however, and keeps her eyes fixed firmly on the floor of the moving vehicle. The entire experience grates on her nerves and makes her feel a bit ill, characterised by her shaky disembarking. Once she's relaxed enough to speak without... an accident occurring, she addresses Rika.

"Hoshikawa-ojousama, I don't mean to be rude or... well, I'm curious as to why we are all here? It seems the staff are perfectly capable of loading the goods." It could be considered speaking out of turn, but after the truck ride she's happy to speak her mind.

"Ahhh..." Homura stretched her arms once she exited from the driver's side. After what was effectively a joyride, she was feeling quite refreshed.

She looked over everyone that exited the back of the truck. Good, it seemed like no one was hurt. "See? I got everyone here in one piece!~" She boasted to Claude, though she'd blatantly shifted the goalpost from a 'smooth ride'.

"It's the same reason why Rika-chan's dad made us to go to the spring fair with her. She wants to fraternize with us, but she's not confident enough to just ask outright, so she does it under the pretense of work. Did I hit the mark, Rika-chan?~" Homura theorized rather bluntly in response to Abenanka's question, though she said it in a more tongue-in-cheek manner rather than an accusatory one. She didn't mind being here, since she was helping someone out.

Being somewhat familiar with Abenanaka's dislike of vehicles (she may even have exasperated it with her driving in the past), Homura reached into her handbag. "You're not feeling motion sick, are you? I should have something for that in here..." As she rummaged around in her bag, a glimpse of the bird plush Abenanka made yesterday could be seen inside the bag.

In the face of Rika's inquiry about the firemen, Chimera can't help but turn her head away to admire the scenery. That particular tree does stand out among its peers.

---

Unlike some of the others, Chimera is thrilled by Homura's driving. So fast! So flashy! Chimera scribbles down notes and diagrams in her notepad to study. As Homura searches through her bag, Chimera steps forth.

"No need, for I will turn maladies into faint memories! Secret Gambit: Valley Crushing Grip! ...Hmm, was it the left hand or the right hand?"

Chimera grabs Abenaka's hand and firmly pinches the web between her thumb and index finger.

Riding in the back of the truck bed, due to being burnt, Shizuka couldn't really tell what was going on but she was thrown side to side seemingly at random. Once they had reached their destination, she was dizzy and banged up as she slumped out of the back of the truck. She got a look around the area, and recognized it as the Nihonbashi District/



The sound of a nearby foghorn as the boats entered the canal to offload their goods. The noise snapped her out of her stupor, and she began to look around the area. With so many people moving cargo around, it was certainly and interesting place. There were also tons of those new electric streetcars, and and plenty of stores to explore while they waited for the truck to get loaded up.

"Ooh, there'[s a pastry place I heard good thing about here, and also there's supposed to be a cursed antique store... Does anyone want to go check it out?!"

After getting her bearings, she figured out where they were and pointed down the street in a direction.

"Maybe the have something about the shamon in the spooky ghost store. That means it is related to work and we can go!"

"Cursed, you say?" Claude's curiosity was piqued. "Would be interesting to see that, and check whether there is genuine reason to suspect a curse."

Abenanka did her best to focus on Chimera's hand instead of the bubbly feeling in her heart when she saw the doll she'd sewn in Homura's bag. The action didn't entirely go as planned though, and it made her want to channel that energy into affection like she often did with her younger siblings. Really, it had to be Chimera's fault for reminding her too much of her family back home so Abenanka had no blame as she smiled and patted Chimera's head.

"A cursed shop in Tokyo?" She turned her head, while still mussing Chimera's hair, to Claude and Shizuka. "The animistic dwellings of soul and place are- well, shall we say an area of interest of mine... if you'd like me to accompany you."

She stopped just shy of saying her area of expertise, not willing to declare herself as the expert in anything compared to the talented company present, but she did like to feel useful.

"Is that so...? That's pretty thoughtful of you. You're right, we should enjoy these times while we can." As a prominent model, Homura was keenly aware that being popular could be a pain sometimes, but the theater was inevitably going to attract more attention to her and her fellow pilots.

Homura had a look of realization. "Oh, I know that pastry shop. I try to swing by whenever I'm shooting in the area. Oh, I could go for strawberry shortcake... No, maybe a nice slice of cheesecake...? Or maybe tiramisu! I can't choose, I'll just have to have a little bit of everything!~" She was nearly drooling.
Homura stopped rummaging through her bag as she watched Chimera work her 'magic'. "Incredible...! That's my vice captain! Teach me that later, okay?" She was genuinely impressed, not realizing it was just basic acupressure.

When the antique shop was brought up, Homura scoffed. "Ha! There's no such thing as a real curse," Homura asserted confidently. "It's just a marketing ploy used by con artists, especially when they claim it's shamon-related. Though I guess it could be fun to see what kind of weird things we can find. Count me in. Maybe I'll buy a 'genuine' cursed vase to spice up the lounge.~"

Chimera's eyes light up at the mention of the cursed shop, even as she squirms under Abenaka's mussing hand. Holding a hand over her eyepatch, Chimera chuckles darkly.

"Oh Homura. To ignore the power of curses is to ignore the power of the dark desires from which they're born. Among cursed curios, there surely are sealed powers waiting to be wielded by their true master! ...And yes, I'll teach you my 'Valley Crushing Grip' if you give me some pointers on how to use magic later!"

Hana listened instantly as the pastry shop was mentioned, "Father never let me eat pastry, he always said that I shouldn't." She said annoyed, "I snuck a chocolate eclair once, but it might be nice to eat one that isn't smashed or melted."

Her eyes lit up at the prospect of strawberry, "I've never even heard of strawberry shortcake, what is that?" She asked with a child like innocence.

Later the conversation shifted to talk of curses, she was mildly interested, but less so than the sweets amusingly.

"Curses are usually just some lingering spirit, if you can find out what they need you can break them, easily said sometimes not so early done though."

"Mainlanders." Abenanka sighed under her breath. "All spirits linger, they've bound to objects. If they've got a reason to be vengeful then it's our duty to be understanding rather than callous. I'd be surprised if breaking them hasn't done more harm than good!"

She puffs out her cheeks, her irritation clear to see. She folds her arms, glaring at the floor rather than anyone in particular. "There most certainly are real curses though. Well, in a manner of speaking. The celestial wills are, often, far less interested in cooperating with humanity in such a... straightforward manner."

"Magic...?" Homura didn't quite get what Chimera meant at first, but after a moment, she got it. "Oh! You mean pyrokinesis. It's more like a power of the mind than magic, but I'll show you how I do it later." She smiled.

Homura was more than happy to answer Hana's question. "Strawberry shortcake is a British dessert! It's got a sort of light, scone-like texture, and it's layered with whipped cream and strawberries! It's so delicious, especially when it's made by a skilled patissier," Homura gushed. "Your father really never let you have any pastries? Sounds strict..."

"You say that," Homura responded to Abenanka, "but I've never seen a spirit, or a curse. I can't believe in something that I can't perceive." Homura was firm in her belief, even if it was based solely on how she felt. She didn't tend to admit she was wrong easily.

"Let's head to that antique shop right now! If I'm wrong and it turns out curses are real, then I'll pay for everyone's pastries afterward, no matter how expensive." Determined to settle this, she leads the way to the cursed antique shop.

As the girls went down the street, leaving the truck behind with the loaders, though not out of sight, they reach the pastry shop, a lively rococo building in pastel blue and pink and white plaster. Inside, the wooden furniture is painted in a white marbled texture, masterfully done, being able to deceive onlookers from a short distance. The counter displays multiple kinds of colorful pastries, from cakes to macaroons. The waitresses too dressed in traditional western clothing for that occupation, sporting dresses the same colors as the store.

Ominously, the antique shop could be seen not far from the café, being at the opposite side of the street. The building seems as ancient as the items it deals in, made mostly in wood, now darkened by time. Inside, there where objects of all kinds, from furniture to musical instruments and even old muskets and pistols; some samurai swords who lost their masters completed the collection.

The grandpa who seemed to be the owner was dealing with a client, showcasing him with his 4 antique violins. "Here's everything we have... Does anything peak your interest, good sir?" The old man humbly says, bringing one of the instruments to the man for him to play it.

The beautiful melody can be heard across the street, which could move anyone more sensitive to tears. Not only that, it's a masterful display of a virtuoso: if an European elderly passed by, he'd swear it was Paganini brought back from the dead!

The melody is brazenly interrupted though, as the man throws away the violin, furious: "It's not it!!" He screams, grabbing the old man, "Where is it old man? I know it is here, bring me it right now!"

Which the owner replies: "P-please, I don't know what you're talking about... Go away, I'm calling the police..." He says, feebly, as the man storms out of the place.

Homura had been looking around the antique shop and casually inspecting the various items in store. They certainly seemed old, but she wasn't convinced that any of them could truly be cursed. As she was inspecting an ornate oak dresser and considering how it might look in her room, she heard the violinist play. She doesn't have much of an ear for music, but even she can't help but find the melody gripping.

Her awe was replaced with equally intense fury at what followed. While the violinist was leaving, Homura ran over to the antique shop owner and helped him get his bearings. "Are you okay, sir? Who does that bastard think he is!?" She glared after the violinist's disappearing back, then she shifted her attention to where the now damaged violin laid.

Aloof and concentrated, Claude strides past the volatile violinist into the antiques shop, and - noticing that Homura is already taking up the shopkeeper's attention - begins unhurriedly walking through the customer area and looking around. At first this might seem like idling or window shopping, but someone with a bit of occult knowledge might recognise a more purposeful search: for cold spots that don't line up with draughts, for omens in reflective surfaces, for meaningful patterns in chaotic distributions of trinkets, protective symbols which might hint of a genuine threat if they're written by a proper esotericist. Anything that could give a clue about something supernatural, especially a curse, going on in the place.

When the violinist smashes the violin, Chimera jolts, almost knocking a katana over. Regaining her composure in no time at all, Chimera steps forth to confront the violinist.

"So it seems we have found our first curse—you act as if you are possessed! To play so beautifully yet to act so ugly, you must be the same kind as Tartni, enchanted by the unattainable melody played by the devil!"

Leading Rika, Suzumiya, and Hana down the street to the pastry shop, Shizuka awas aghast that her cousin had never had a sweet of any kind.

"Not even taiyaki, warabimochi, or even a pancake?! We’re going right now! Wweets are good brain food, you know. They help with the cursed store afterwards."

Dragging Hana and the others to the western-styled pastry store, Shizuka excitedly points out the ones she thought were the best. Once they sat down and received their orders, she noticed how her burnt hakama stood out amongst the fancy western-clothed waitresses and other customers.

"Ah. I’ll go wait outside for a bit to get some air. Still a bit dizzy from that crazy ride in the truck."

As she stood outside, she watched a scraggily seagull hop between shipping containers looking for something to eat. Her pensive stare was broken by the sudden sound of yelling at the so-called cursed antique store next door. A man stormed out, but it seemed like there was some sort of violin related violence that had occurred. She then saw Chimera emerge from the store to yell at the man.

"Chimera-san~ Don’t attack weird musicians!"

Abenanka stops outside the shop. She takes a necklace featuring a small pearl engraved with the Nigi-mitama, and the same characters in Ainu, from the bundle of charms hanging around her neck. Looping it around one finger, she holds it out in front of her and carefully watches what it does. In theory, her charm should be attracted to any buildups of malevolence or spite.

She's distracted, for a moment, by a scraggily seagull. For it she fishes out some bread and kneels to attract it over. Once it's come close enough she offers an arm, though it's weight and size makes it awkward, and preens the feathers around it's neck and head. She smiles softly. "Look at you, inquisitive Kamuy, has your majestic eye seen any curses?"

Homura perked up when the old man spoke of the 'cursed' violin. His warnings went into one ear and right out the other one.

He's really committed to the bit. And apparently, he's so good that it fooled that musician! She reasoned. This was her chance to get a hold of this cursed violin and prove how fake it was.

"I see, that sounds awful...! How scary." Homura played along with his 'story'. He was just trying to play up the danger and rarity of the so-called cursed violin. She was sure if she applied pressure, he'd crack and sell it to her. Likely for an exorbitant price, but she had money.

"But are you sure you couldn't part with it for me, ojii-san?~" She leaned forward against the counter and gracefully rested her chin on her hands. She fluttered her eyelashes, playing up her heart-stopping beauty as much as possible to hopefully persuade the old man. "I'm no musician, just a collector of all things beautiful. If it was good enough for Paganini, then it must be gorgeous. You have to at least let me have a look at it!"

Chimera nearly growls at the violinist for messing up her hair, but stays her hand as he does a 180 and makes amends. Such is the power of her sagacious words!

Overhearing the owner's story about the violin, Chimera lights up and eagerly prepares a bombardment of questions.

"A cursed item! Does it have a dark and menacing aura? Does it repel attempts to destroy it? Oh, does it have a name?"

Hana tutted, "We're wasting valuable time here, why would we have purpose for an old Violin?" She said clearly not appreciating the clout that a name like Paganini carried.

She folded her arms and strolled around the antique shop slightly irritated.

Grabbing her order of a dozen palmiers, Shizuka followed Hana to the antique store with the bag of goodies in-hand. Peering around everyone to get a look at the violin, but she couldn't see much. Since she had so many, she offered one of the pastries to anyone within reach (including the seagull and the shopkeeper).

"Eeeeeh, why not just smash it to pieces! Unless that counts as 'playing' it, then maybe not."

Abenanka puts some effort into standing on the crowned street, ignoring the loud chatting around her, which she wasn't used to, as she focuses on the seagull. Once settled on her arm, the bird naturally responds to her command, focusing it's gaze on the shop:



It chirps furiously, not at the shop though, but around it, then following the crowd on a flyby; its screeches, Abenanka could notice, were mostly directed to the man who just left the shop. Despite the distance, she can see how the man looks up at the bird, with a terrifying face, and it stops chirping immediately, as he goes away.

---

On the meanwhile, Homura did her act: she's particularly stunning today, with her dress, and she'd never ben scarce of charisma and beauty to begin with.



"Oh... heh..." He mumbles, scratching his head and flustered, "Well... If you ain't playing it, I don't see a reason for why shouldn't you have it! I fact, it could even be safer with you... That man wouldn't know it, and would give me peace! A moment, please..." He says, disappearing behind the back door.

After some minutes, he returns, with a small case. "Here... Have a look~" He says, excitedly opening it. Inside, tightly fitted by the upholstered lining, stood a majestic violin, definitely not from this century, or the later.

It is definitely baroque, made in a deep wine-colored wood, with redder fine veins. The sides were finely carved into a fluted pattern and the scroll, where the strings are held the pins, gilded, was carved into a fine volute. Next to it, in the case, was the bow, made in a reddish wood, with ornate corners, resembling flower buttons.

"S-stunning, isn't it?" The man starts, "Heh, not quite as you, young lady, of course! You remind me of my daughter, you know? Say, I'll give it to you, for free; I wouldn't feel good profiting on it, anyway..." He offers, with an affable smile.

"Uh... A name?" He rubs his chin, at Chimera's question, "Uh... I once was told it is a Stradivarius, meaning that was its maker..."

Finally, at Shizuka's suggestion, he gasps: "W-wait, please, don't even think about that! Whatever kills whoever tries to play it would certainly not be happy about that!"

Just as I thought... So easy! Homura's pride in her appeal swelled. She let a slight smirk play on her lips when the owner turned to fetch the violin.

Her eyes shined when the old man returned and showed off the cursed instrument. She hadn't been lying when she said she was no musician, but she could still appreciate the violin's masterful craftsmanship. She reached out to gently lift the violin out of the case, looking at it more closely.

"Oh, stop..." She giggled in a deliberate manner, only to blink in surprise when she realized what he said. "Wait, you'll just give it to me...?"

This briefly threw her for a loop, challenging her skeptical assumptions. What's his angle? Does he expect me to insist on paying? No, that'd be stupid. Then what does he get out of giving it away?

"Th... That's sweet of you! I'll take it off your hands then." She put her confusion aside and flashed an award-winning smile. Whatever the man's plan was, she was more concerned with proving the 'curse' fake.

"But first..."

She casually took the bow out of the case and took a playing position with the cursed violin. In stark contrast to the melody performed by the violinist earlier, Homura played a random, discordant series of notes that offended the ears.

Clasping her hands over her ears against the horrors of Homura's performance, Chimera grimaces.

"...This sound, it strikes at the soul directly! Cease, Homura! This curse is obviously beyond your ken!"

Abenanka glances at the group in the shop, considering. In a city, following someone unnoticed probably wouldn't go how she wanted to. Her Ainu fashion stood out like a sore thumb among the Japanese and Western dressed, and she didn't know the usual hiding places and things. If she followed the man alone then who knows what would happen. If she was being honest, her best move would be to let them know.

But then... they were doing their own thing, once again. She'd do hers, once again. She shrugged and set off after the man, trying to see what had made the seagull so agitated, without telling anyone where she'd gone.

"N-no! What are you doing?!!" The man screams, loosing his cool and crouching behind the counter, hands on his ears and terrified.

As Homura swings the bow through the strings, a cacophonous and ear-hurting horrendous noise leaves the violin; it's impossible not to at least flinch at that!

On the meanwhile, outside, Abenanka was on the man's tail, not far enough to not hear the ominous noise from the store; neither the man was, for as soon as the sound reach them, he screams in agony, his face distorts in pain and he clasps his ears firmly, stumbling wildly away as fast as he could, losing himself on the crowd and turning the corner.

---

A minute or two after Homura started playing, everything starts shaking. An earthquake?! People outside could be heard screaming, no, it wasn't an earthquake!

Outside, from the canal, jumped multiple shamon, as much as from the last night, but in a much tighter spot! Landing on the block they start their mad destruction, first with booths and vehicles on the streets, though aiming at those nice buildings:A group of them can be seen still next to the canals, laying waste to the ships, while another gets dangerously close to the shop loading the theatre's truck, while another corner a group of people in a plaza, and finally, a group can be seen being fend off by local patrolling cops, their pistols seemingly doing little damage to them, with reinforcements being called.

These monsters attack by whipping vine-like tendrils from their arms and body.

"Gah! It's much worse than it should be!! You really offended them with your terrible playing!!" The old man said to Homura, in an accusatory tone.

"T-this is terrible! I will call father and Moriyama-san! Mister, do you have a telephone?!" Asks Rika, to which the man nods and points to one, on his desk behind the counter. She she runs and makes a call. Trying to outspeak the loudness outside.

"Great they're bringing the petalframes, but it will take a minute!"

---

Realising what is happening, Claude runs out and starts organising the people.

I'm a noble, I'm born to lead; I can do this!

"You! With the guns, listen to me. I'm ensign d'Armagnac. If we're to make it count, we must act strategically. Single fire only. Aim for those huge eyes, take the time before each shot.

You are fireteam one," Claude designates several of the cops, "you are fireteam two. Be ready to reposition by leapfrogging, team one shoots, team two moves on command. Later you swap."

The ensign's strategy was ultimately to trade time and territory for lives, and lead by example, brandishing a pistol on the shamon too. There was little that could be done without the petalframes on the scene, so for now at best the underarmed defenders would have to draw out the shamon, slowing down their advance and hopefully giving the cornered civilians a chance to evacuate. In essence, this is a district-scale fighting retreat at least until the situation changes.

Shizuka winced at Homura's awful violin playing, but just as she was about to leave the antique store she heard the sound something large emerging from the nearby canal. The sound of something getting smashed and people screaming out soon followed, which prompted Shizuka to sprint outside to see what was going on. it seemed that the cursed violin was real after all, since it drew out shamon that had begun to attack.

But do they hate the sound or do they like it?

Without time to waste on planning, Shizuka made a bee line to the nearest group of people that were in danger, the pastry shop. The shamon was still half in the water, but it was large enough that the shop was still in smashing range. Its vine-like appendages whipped around, causing Shizuka to jump and weave between them before she could even get close. However, she wasn't trying to attack the shamon directly. Instead she clambered up the side of one of the cargo ships and made her way to the bridge. Once inside the ship's control area, which was now empty due to everyone fleeing, she spotted the controls for the ship's foghorn. Without hesitation she found the right lever (well, it was the only lever) and pulled it down with some serious force.

"Let's see if this gets your attention, tentacle-face!"

Of course, the shamon probably couldn't hear her taunt since there was loud, annoying horn drowning out all other noises.

Hana slid out the door into the street and took in the scene unfolding, the Shamon mercilessly smashing through stalls and booths and rapidly approaching the panicked civilians. She heard Claude trying to organize the first-responders that had trickled into the disturbance, she quickly considered her options.

She noted a large flock of birds that was scattered from the tree during the earthquake, their clustered form took to the skies in a floating cloud of bodies. She concentrated, placing one hand onto her temple and the other to her chest. She normally spoke and saw through a single animal, but maybe this would work in a pinch, she could distract or blind the Shamon long enough for the others.

She speaks the arcane spiritual language:
Fortes caeli creaturae, aures vestras parate, vires vestras invoco, susurrus mollis prope, hac hora coniungimini, alas vestras extendete, ecce! bestiam excaecate dum pugna explicatur!

Her eyes flash white, and her irises dissapear as she locks into the mind of the creatures, she commands them to surround the Shamon and attempt to blind them. She sends the psychic suggestion, it is difficult to communicate with so many creatures at once but being so small, she thinks it may work.

She can see through one of the birds eyes, their collective senses spill into her mind, she takes in the surrounding area from the higher vantage point as the flock swoops in on the Shamon!

"There is no curse! And I'm proving it here and now!" Homura stubbornly shot back, not slowing her awful 'music' for even a moment. At least, not until the mayhem began.

"What...!" The shaking caused her to nearby stumble over. When screams suddenly reached her ears, she ran over to the windows to see what was happening. Her eyes widened at the sight. Shamon? Right here? Either it was a coincidence, or the violin's curse, and curses in general, were actually real. Though the curse didn't manifest in the way that she expected.
"H-How is this my fault!? You said the stupid violin would cause whoever played it to die! You didn't say it'd summon a bunch of shamon!" Homura snapped at the old man, glaring back at him over her shoulder.

However, there was no time to be frustrated or confused. Rika had thoughtfully called in for the petalframes, but for now, they had to preserve life and stall the shamon as much as possible. "Right, we're heading out! Hold these for me, please!" Homura said to Rika, taking off her high heels and throwing them to the young woman.

She thinks about smashing or immolating the violin in her hand, but the shopkeep's warning echoed in her mind. So did Abenanka's own from earlier.

Be understanding rather than callous, huh...?

She didn't want to make a bad situation worse, so she just puts the violin and the bow back in its carrying case on the counter. "I'm coming back for this!" She tells the old man before rushing out after Claude, Hana and Shizuka.

---

As soon as she got clear of the antique shop, it became obvious why she left her shoes in Rika's care. Focusing her pyrokinesis, she took to the skies with bright jets of flames bursting from her bare feet. She would incinerate her footwear if she tried this normally, and she really liked those white heels.

She could take stock of the situation from above. Claude was marshalling the cops, Shizuka was trying to distract some of the shamon, and Hana... Homura couldn't tell what Hana was doing at a glance besides the fact it was clearly supernatural, but she did notice the birds were deliberately coordinating to pester the shamon, and assumed that was probably Abenanka's doing.

Wait, where is Abenanka? She was just realizing her friend's apparent absence. With the petalframes on the way, Homura felt she needed to find her sooner rather later.

Before Homura got a chance to really look though, she noticed the people being cornered by a shamon group in the plaza. Before she could stop herself, she was already swooping down to the scene. Just as one of the shamon's tendrils lashed out towards the people, a spray of flames singed it and forced the tendril to withdraw. She landed in front of the people protectively, her violet eyes blazing with psychic power.

"Go, get out of here! I'll hold them off!" She shouted to the people. Clapping her hands, she generated a circle of tall, scorching flames around her and the shamons. It closed her in with them, but it would also prevent them from going after the people. Should they try, they'd first have to get through flame walls hot enough to melt steel.

She stared the shamons down. They were looking quite flammable, which boded well for her. Her blood was boiling, and another strangely familiar technique, just like Saint's Blaze Requiem, was stirring in her heart, but she ignored its call. She wanted to conserve her strength just in case.

She stepped forward and took off her gloves, stuffing them in her handbag. "Vines, huh? You picked a really bad day to show up, because I'm all fired up!" She held out her hands and unleashed dual streams of flame! She also took advantage of the flame circle she made, utilizing it to shoot fireballs at the shamon's blindspots.

"A demon summoning instrument...so cool! Owner, allow me to utilize your inventory!"

In the absence of the petalmarks, another weapon must find its use in the interim. Chimera looks for any sort of large cannons she could use to fire on the shamon. In the absence of such items, Chimera instead picks up a bunch of firearms and straps them together in an unholy amalgamation that makes up for the limitations of outdated technology with the sheer force of every single gun shooting at the same time.

The daring swashbuckler quickly organizes the demoralized police officers, her words burn inside their hearts and her noble blood shows, almost compelling them by its power alone, they barrages turn more precise and constant, actually halting the shamon advance!

The cops shot from their cover, either some cars or makeshift ones, with Claude standing heroically at the front and inspiring everyone. By the time they get some time to breath, taking out some of the closer enemies, she hears from one officer: "Reinforcements are already coming by, they'll surely bring heavier armament!"

---

On the shore, where a group of the shamon slowly raise themselves from the water, turning and slicing through ships with their wips, they advance to the district but, suddenly, all stop, as one ship cuts through them, honking loudly with Shizuka inside, yelling incomprehensible stuff with a defiant face.

---

Meanwhile, Hana, with great effort, can tap into the flock birds, and direct the feathery swarm towards the closer shamon.

Surprising, the birds attack with great ferocity at the evil creatures, stopping them on their tracks of destruction while they aimlessly attack at the air, trying to bring down the birds.

At this moment, Chimera leaves the store, carrying some monstrosity of a makeshift weapon of mass destruction: a bunch of obsolete guns strap together...

She comes at range, ready to shoot the maddened shamon, she swiftly dodges their attacks while raining death on them: actually she recklessly shots at them, relying on the huge recoil of the guns to throw her back and away from harm! Amidst that, Hana uses her birds to blind and distract the shamon, making sure Chimera doesn't rely on sheer luck for avoiding being crushed in pieces.

---

Finally, Homura heroically stands herself between the terrified civilians and the monsters, her fiery eyes burning as hot as her wall of flames. She manipulates the flames around her, turning that into a corridor of death!

But, that was a huge effort... She can't hold it for long, and lets go of the flames, but not before frying some of those shamon and allowing the people on the plaza to take some safe distance!



After doing her distraction, Shizuka finds herself completely cornered, the shamon around her ready to slice through her boat like it's sliced bread!

Round 2

While fending off the shamon on the street together, Hana and Chimera can hear from Rika, as she bursts the door open:

"Good news! The frames are ready to launch, they should be here in a minute!" She says, excited, and then adds, not so excited: "Oh! And the HQ say they're detecting an anormal buildup of shamon energy around here... That definetely doesn't sound good..."

The initial rush of the shamon had caught Abenanka off guard. She glanced after the man she'd been tailing but couldn't see him anymore, he'd been lost in the crowd. Part of her wanted to try her luck and go after him, and she even went a few steps, before her loyalty and sense of duty won out and she turned back.

The first thing she needed to do was to find out where the others had gotten to. Getting to high ground would help with that, just like the streak of fire that flew from the direction of the antiques shop. Abenanka once again found herself admiring the skills and sense of her comrade, and was about to head in her direction when a different sound distracted her. A foghorn.

"Which fool is on the water at a time like this?" She whipped around and darted in the direction of the docks. "The spirits of the seas are... less forgiving."

She vaulted a fence onto the docks themselves, and ignored the looks she got going against the crowd as she sprinted for the boats still moored and in tact. She whispered a prayer to the Kamuy of the Air to give her speed and lighten her steps before leaping aboard one of the ships. It would take effort and help from the spirits to hop from boat to boat to her destination.

---

She arrived at about the same time as the petalframes did. She touched down lightly, easing the pressure off with a crouch, before the Yuki-Onna crashed down onto the deck just after. She had to adjust to how the ship shuddered but it held firm and she avoided falling over, until the second tanky petalframe landed and she pitched over onto the deck.

She blinked when the shaking stopped and looked up to see Shizuka's petalframe beside hers. "Gozen-san, you're the one?"

Ignoring the surprise that someone in her unit would do something so reckless, she hurried to mount up in her own petalframe. She settled as fast as she could, which wasn't much given the technology around her, and took the controls. No matter how many times she suited up it would still feel awkward, but thankfully the snow maiden's ice tools would help her here on the water.

"Well, we're here now." She called to Shizuka. "I'll give us something to walk on."

The ship Shizuka had commandeered hadn't been docked, so it was aimlessly floating through the canal. However, she didn't notice until it had drifted into the middle of all of the shamon that emerging form the water. Her constant blaring of the foghorn slowed to a stop, and there was a moment of awkward silence as all the shamon locked onto the ship as their primary enemy.

"Oh, uh, sumimasen~"

Although Shizuka didn't know the first thing about piloting a ship, she knew what a wheel was and turned it hard to port in an attempt to avoid the shamon and to get closer to the canal walls. She didn't want to damage a ANOTHER ship while battle shamon, her allies would start thinking she was doing it on purpose!

It was at that time that Abenanka sprinted across the boats to reach Shizuka, which Shizuka watched with amazement. She didn't know exaclty when the petalframes would be delivered, but figured she would be able to see the large trucks arriving along the shoreline. The shamon surrounding their boat had other ideas, however, as their vine-like appendages began to thrash around.

"Abenanka-san! You're like a ninja! Let's get out of here before we're sliced to bits."

Making her way to wherever her petalframe was delivered, Shizuka attempted to dodge and weave between the shamon's attacks to get to her mech.

Claude assesses the tactical situation. The squad was doing well, but it was no reason to get cocky. Not everyone can blink out of the way of danger, and so it was important to keep the cops safe.

"Fireteam two, your turn to do cover fire. And fireteam one, reposition and take cover at that pile of huge debris!" the ensign pointed with the sabre.

Seeing through her link that she was having some success, she continued to assist by distracting the Shamon while Chimera blasted them, hopefully together they could find some success. She could see herself standing in the street through the bird's eyes, she was still somewhat far from the immediate danger, but she spotted in the plaza and water the other groups attacking. Determination filled her and she focused her energy to dive in on the Shamon for another attack.

The birds screeched loudly as they swarmed the beasts, the flitting black outlines of their wings filling the air with turbulent noise.

Homura was starting to sweat. Not from the sweltering heat she caused, as she subconsciously repelled it, but from the exertion of pushing her powers.

Damn it... I managed to kill a few of them, but there's more than I thought.

Hands still blazing, Homura spared a glance over her shoulder, seeing that the people she protected had gotten a safe distance away. That was good. A weight lifted off her shoulders.

But what about those who hadn't gotten away? There could be people hiding in the surrounding buildings, too scared to move, or maybe unable to due to injury or frailty.

Until the petalframes arrived, Homura was more concerned about saving lives than trying to battle shamon. She absolutely could not let anyone die on her watch, especially when she'd likely caused this. So, she flew back into the air with a rush of fire from her feet, and boxed in the plaza shamon with another perimeter of flames. It's stressful on her, but she bears with it. She doesn't want them straying too far while she's shifting her focus.

She takes in a deep breath before yelling so that anyone left in the surrounding area can hear her. "Hear me! If you haven't escaped yet, now's your chance. I promise I will protect you! Follow the fires in the sky! Those are your evacuation routes!" She held out her hand and cast bright motes of fire across the sky, aligning them to pinpoint paths to safety. From this high up, she was able to see road blockages or dead-ends due to debris, and thus use her guiding fires to help people avoid those.

"If you're injured or have injured with you, yell! I will come!" Homura shouted, her form serving as a beacon. Her words held a steadfast promise to anyone that was listening: hope wasn't lost.

As is the case with a fair number of old guns, reloading them after they've been fired is a time-consuming process. That goes more than double when there are so many barrels in play. After letting off one good shot (and being launched back in the shop), Chimera tosses her weapon into Rika's arms as she pops her head out.

"So the curse's true power has yet to be revealed...but before the eye of the omniscient, all are equal!"

Utilizing the cover of Hana's aviary assault, Chimera dashes to the pastry shop across the street, beelining to the kitchen. After a few short moments, Chimera comes out hefting jugs of cooking oil under her arms.

"Secret Gambit: Giant Slaying Territory!"

Chimera boldly weaves through the shamon, her small frame doing her as much favor for her ability to evade harm as her bloodline as she makes the street run slick.

"Keep it up, and be always ready to reposition as the situation demands. I have an urgent matter to attend to," shouted the ensign, and ran off.

As the Rose Verte descended from the skies under the canopy made of silk, Claude concentrated and blinked upwards towards it, grabbing onto it by the half-retracted throns, punching the button to open the door, and getting inside while still in the air. The cloak meant for establishing the esoteric link with the frame was already in the seat, laid out and secured so as to allow easy donning - perhaps thanks to the foresight of Dominique. Thus, Claude took the place in the pilot's seat, wrapped up in the cloak, and inserted the frame's key with a stabbing motion.The Rose came to life, activating rear thrusters to get some horizontal speed, flying as a giant improvised paraglider. Claude directed the frame towards the flank of the nearby group of shamon, softening them with a barrage of shooting thorns, then, once enough altitude was lost, cut the strings of the parachute and dropped upon them with a downwards swing of the blade, proceeding to sow chaos into the group's flank while the machinegunners kept the front of the group suppressed.

It was fortunate there was no one that Homura needed to carry to safety... However, that one guy sticking around to take photos of her without any regard for his own safety really worried her. "HEY! Are you crazy!? This is not the time for a photo op! Get out of here! ...AGH!!"

Due to being distracted, she got taken down hard by a shamon's vine. She landed in the plaza's central fountain with a massive splash. When she rose from the water, her long, layered wine-colored hair was now a sopping wet mess that covered her eyes. She whipped her head from side to side and pushed her wet hair back with both hands...

Her unintentionally jaw-dropping display was interrupted by another click and flash aimed right at her.

"You're still here!?" She snapped at the camera guy. That was when she realized the state of her dress. Not only was the large tear running along it, it was soaked through, outlining her undergarments through the delicate fabric. She'd picked a terrible day to wear white.

"AH!? You'd better destroy that roll right now, you motherfu-"

She was cut off by the sound of Sunrise Flare landing just meters away from her, shaking the ground. Finally, she thought. However, that guy was still there. She couldn't be seen getting into the petalframe... Right? She hesitated for a moment, but the decision was quickly made for her when a vine came whipping for her. Eyes widening, she ducked, letting it pass through the air where her head just was. Right now, she couldn't worry about being exposed... in more ways than one.

Her soulkey had been in her handbag. Panic briefly gripped her when she realized she wasn't holding her bag anymore, but she then noticed the contents floating around her in the fountain, the bag itself drifting past her. It must have spilled when she was struck. She noticed the vermillion glint of her soulkey sitting at the bottom of the fountain. She hurriedly grabbed it and leapt out of the fountain in time to dodge another vine attack slicing through the air.

She went sprinting for Sunrise Flare. As if it sensed her urgency, the crouching petalframe's front opened up automatically as she approached. She leapt into the seat and closed the hatch behind her, shoving her soulkey into the slot and twisting to start it up. However, when she brought Sunrise Flare into a standing position, the movement was jerky.

"What the...?" Homura was perplexed for a moment, until she remembered something Rika said during the petalframe's first launch. They needed to wear something special, or most of their spiritual power would dissipate instead of going into the petalframe. She looked around the tiny exterior, expecting one of the poncho-like capes from the first launch, but instead... she found what she could only assume to be her finished uniform, tucked neatly near the seat.

On one hand, she really appreciated having a change of clothes, given the damage to her current outfit.

On the other hand...

"I don't have time for this!" She yelled, quickly trying to get her dress off while in the heat of combat, all while blows thundered against the exterior of Sunrise Flare. She noticed a shamon set its sights on the camera guy, whipping a vine-like tendril out towards him.

If he was killed, it would be no one's fault but his own, but Homura couldn't let it happen. Down to her undergarments, she grabbed a control lever and jerked it to the side, making Sunrise Flare drunkenly slide to intercept the attack with its body. The blow caused the cockpit to lurch.

"Nh... For the last time, RUN!"

She grabbed her uniform and began to put it on, hitting all kinds of controls by accident in her rush! She extended her leg and pressed a button with her foot, activating Sunrise Flare's jets just as a shamon was wrapping its vines around the mech. Sunrise Flare shot forward, dragging the unfortunate shamon across the plaza. Homura's other foot hit a button that disengaged the jets. The sudden stop sends the shamon flying clear into a building.

To an outside observer, Sunrise Flare was acting seemingly at random. They might assume it was malfunctioning, except... every erratic move seemed to fortuitously double as an attack or defense.

"Come on... Isn't this a little too tight, Rika!?" Homura accidentally elbowed the control levers, causing Sunrise Flare to barely dodge a series of brutal vine whips. The motion of pulling her arm into the top made the mech clumsily swing its flamethrower, sending out a sweeping arc of consecrated fire.

As they skated across the ice to the shore, Shizuka was a little bit behind Abananka. She watched as the ice princess gracefully landed on solid ground, but as Shizuka was about to make the leap a massive vine broke through the water and struck her in the gut. The blow threw her into the air and right into a mess of canvass and fish. After regaining her senses, Shizuka found herself wrapped up and badly bruised.

"Urk --" COUGH "-- Today is not my day."

While dangling she heard the sounds of large machinery landing nearby. Tilting her head back she could see both Rooster#6 and the Yuki-onna making a hard landing on the nearby road. She also spotted a growing fire in the distance, which was even more alarming than the Shamon. She wasn't sure what European cities were like, but fires and Japanese buildings did not mix well.

"F-fire, put it out! Tokyo is very flammable!"

Struggling in her prison of fabric, Shizuka wiggled like a caterpillar for a while before she noticed the water shamon moving in for another attack. Silently groaning to herself, she got over the pain in her stomach and attempted to flip herself out of the canvass so she could get into her petalframe. Rocking back and forth to build up momentum, she aimed to either bound out of the top or break through the bottom of the canvass.

As Chimera slipped and fell into Hana, she hit the pavement hard, her breathing was sharp as she was knocked out of her link with the animals. Breaking the link was always a shock to the system, nauseating, and it made all of your nerves burn with white fire. She cried out as she awoke with Chimera ontop of her.

She stumbled to her feet and unceremoniously tried to run from the blaze Chimera had set, she heard the bang and saw the parachuted petalframes dropping in the sky, she was not in a condition to pilot right now she shook her head and tried to come to her senses, moving to position herself near where the Viperlily would fall.

"Chimera.. are you alright?" She said raggedly, though she looked worse for wear, she tried to pay close attention to her surroundings she felt around in her robes for her soul-key, locating it she prepared to board the Viperlily. She hoped to find the place she could help the most, or find an opening.. most of all avoid an ambush, the Shamon were everywhere!

The petalfram slammed into the ground cracking the stone underfoot and she quickly clambered up it's side, taking in her surroundings with the higher vantage point before diving into the control suite.

"Not...hah...even a scratch!"

After catching her breath and readjusting her disheveled uniform, Chimera flings on her plugcape and hops into the Eggshell Tulip. The first thing she does once she's online is to pick up one of the antique tapestries that were ruined in the skirmish and wear it as a cape. After all, wearing something with provenance is cool. She'll have to get the rundown of the history later to weave into her lore.

For now, there are shamon to defeat. The wind stirs, and the cape billows behind the mech as Chimera crosses her arms.

"Shamon borne from sound, sing your funeral dirge! Shamon borne from curse, lay your grudges upon my name! You have but one final breath, and I will take it away! Gale Force Cannon!"

With the thrust of its arm, the Eggshell Tulip fires a powerful beam of cyclonic wind. With the aid of the slick street, Chimera aims to send the shamon flying into the water.

Abenanka landed on the shore at the same time Yuki-onna dropped near her and sent a tremor through the stone of the dock. She let it run through her without complaint, the weight and solidity of her frame a reassuring presence. The calm it brought didn't last long though as she looked back over her shoulder to where Shizuka struggled with the net.

Exasperated she turned back to her frame and noticed the burning. "What? How?" She sighed, irritated. "Who set fire to the city? It sure wasn't the-"

When she clocked who must've been responsible she rubbed her temples and didn't finish the thought. Instead she scrambled over to Yuki-onna and into it's defended cockpit. Here she found a uniform, but it wouldn't help her. It'd take far too long to remove the layers of her jackets and underclothes let alone all her charms. Instead she took the coat of the uniform and wore it on top, hoping it and her spiritual training would be enough.

She settled into the cockpit and rested a hand on the controls. "I'm here girl." She whispered. "I'm here."

The machine responded with a gentle pulse of energy and motion, unfolding and propping itself up on it's claws. This time she wouldn't be late to the action, nor would she hesitate. It was time for their counter attack. She'd trust Homura to deal with the fire, and have words with her later, since the city itself wasn't really important. Whatever Chimera and Hana were doing they could get by, and she wasn't worried about Claude.

So she turned to Shizuka and barreled back toward the icy water.

Claude comes flying from the sky, raining down volleys of thorns, each puncturing deeply the shamon band, almost impaling them, until she finally severs the parachute and falls down like a cannonball - sporting a sharp blade!

Her first downward slash slices a shamon in half, while subsequent spinning attacks make mincemeat of them, as the white fumes their corpses dissolve into saturates the air into a smokescreen, being fanned away by Rose Verte's spinning blade.

Once she breaks the enemy's flanks, she notices how the soldiers and policemen took care of the frontline, with them mostly all right, the ground below them drowned in bullet cases, with many man cheering their immediate victory and apparent safety.

A man approaches Rose Verte's, bearing the rank of captain, and talks to her: "We appreciate your help, miss... I know we can't disclose your identity, and rest assured I'll make my men keep quiet about what they just saw, but they're definitely cheering you, at least on their hearts!"

The men rejoiced behind him, to ascertain his point.

---

Indeed it felt like it is a bit tight! Though Homura had no time to ponder if it was whether for her soaked state, if Rika messed with her measurements (wait, have she taken her measurements?), or if it was intentional!

White struggling to put it on, Homura laid havoc on her surroundings, either by fire or stomping! Her fire clears the plaza from the gross of the enemy forces, while erratic lunges and shoves keep them at bay, making sure the people and... And that annoying photographer are safe!By the time she is done with her uniform: a deep orange tailcoat with gold-lined details and white cuffs, with frilly sleeves and a white waistcoat below that; a silky sash in a nice ribbon adorning the lower waist over thin and sleek breeches of fine cold wool that proved very flexible, with ankle boots to go on top of that. It nicely mixed the appearance of an equestrian/fencing suit (called shadbelly) with maidenly and military motifs and is also something totally appropriate for being used on a stage by dancers.

Of course, she didn't have the time to set it as neatly as it should, be it should do for now!

After that relief, Homura noticed that just a handful of shamon remained, and she could deal with them in her next assault!

---

Thankfully, Hana wasn't hurt by the fall: the street wasn't as hard as it seemed, and Chimera was softer than she looked! She quickly stands up, after Chimera, or after pushing her aside, and rushes to her petalframe, swiftly climbing it and taking a good look around (or so it seemed) before going in.

Once inside, she sets her eyes on a bunch of shamon advancing at her position, and prepares her bow, drawing an arrow on its energy string.

But then, as she was about to shoot: a shamon jumps from over a building, a higher point than she had access to, and descends on her, slashing the back of her frame and pulling her to the ground.

Once over her, he raises its tendrilous arms to strike a devastating blow!

---

Starting her Eggshell Tulip, Chimera readies her secret weapon: a powerful wind canon!

After a moment of loud turbines spinning, an increasingly strong current leaves the canon, like a tornado! The frame must brace itself to not fly backwards by it, while blowing away at the slick street, sending shamon, debris and vehicles flying!

Once she turns off the fan, the streets looked surprisingly clean, while the water splashed at everything being thrown it it.

---

On the meanwhile, at the small docks, Abenanka casts a high wall of ice to protect her comrade, who struggled against the canvas, while slicing away any who tried to jump or cross it with her claws.

They hacked the shamon with ease, and having them come une at a time gives her a good advantage, and she takes down many of them with her frigid attacks.

But such advantage doesn't last forever: as soon as Shizuka finally untangles herself, the wall gives in, exploding into pieces as a shamon punches a hole through it and lunges at her; Shizuka instinctively throws her previous captor at the shamon, which turns the possibly fatal blow into a grazing miss: its tendril smashes the fish booth, and Shizuka is sent flying once again!

At least now she's closer to her frame, but the shamon are closing in on her too!



ROUND 4

The Steel Petal Force seemed to dominate most fronts of the battle, with good hopes of overall victory, despite some highs and lows...

At a turning point though, as all the petals' sensors cry hazard, that previous buildup of shamon energy exploding as, between the nearby buildings, another shamon appears:

Shizuka was thrown into the air once more, although this time it was with glittering pieces of frozen fish and ice. The glittering air was abruptly cut short as she slammed back into the ground after her short fall, her arms raised up around her head in an attempt to protect herself from any major damage. Laying on her back, she took a moment to shake off any dizziness as the rest of the fish shack pieces rained down. She took inventory of her body parts: she could still feel her toes, had all 10 fingers, and her vision was clearing up. After sitting up, she took a deep breath felt a sharp pain in her side, but was otherwise still able to fight. The bruises tomorrow would look pretty bad, but on the bright side both Shizuka and her petalframe had matching damage.

"Ugh... Oh hey, Rooster is here. Lucky~"

Operating somewhat on autopilot, she staggered to her feet and fished out her mech's soulkey from her robe. After getting thrown around byt the shamon, climbing up to the top seemed like a daunting task. Mustering up a burst of energy, she leaped up halfway and pulled herself up to the cockpit. Once the hatch was open, she slid down into the cockpit with a thud, jammed the ingition key, and booted up the mech's hardware.

"Too easy. Now, where's the fancy jacket they told us to wear?"

While Rooster#6 was warming up, she was able to easily slip on the upper portion of the pilot's uniform thanks to already being fairly lightly dressed. She also slipped an earpiece in so she could talk to the others. The system flashed with warnings about the petalframe's existing damage, as well as some pilot health warning indicators, but Shizuka quickly tapped though all of them to continue the booting process.

"So. Many. Menus! Let's launch already and help Abenanka-san!"

As Rooster#6 came to life, Shiuzka found her second wind. It was good timing, since the shamon that already gave her a beating was now stomping towards her. There was a loud warning about the buildup of shamon energy, but for now Shizuka had to deal with the most immediate threat. She also hoped that the nearby fire wouldn't spread out too much.

Charging forward with her shield, she pulled back on the controls at the last moment. The petalframe's torso twisted to one side, revealing a pistol-like gun the mech's off-hand. Due to her momentum, she crashed into the shamon with the pistol already poking into its chest. Inside the cockpit Shizuka pulled the trigger until the ammo was spent, a little payback for whacking her around.

Once she'd managed to get her uniform on, Homura felt the difference immediately. Every bit of spiritual power she could muster was going right into Sunrise Flare. A steady hum resonated from the petalframe's internal mechanisms, surrounding her in a comforting vibration.

Wow, this outfit's focusing my power... and it looks great too. I've got to thank Rika after this.

After she finished admiring her attire, she finally noticed the devastation she'd accidentally wrought among the plaza shamon. Only a few were still in any condition to fight. "Eh? How'd this happen...?"

Oh well. She gripped the control levers at her side, a sense of purpose burning in her chest. It was time to clean up these stragglers so she could meet up with the others. That was when she was alerted to the influx of shamon energy, the appearance of the new shamon pinging intensely on her radar, its presence dwarfing the little dots that represented the small shamon.

"Shit..." She couldn't quite see the new threat from where she was, but she got the sense it was bigger and stronger than the plant-like grunts they'd been facing. She needed to get in touch with the others.

"Acrux Division, come in! This is Sunrise Flare! I've entered my petalframe and dispatched most of the shamon in the plaza. I'm picking the last few off right now. What are your statuses?" Her voice crackled over the group's comms. "Does anyone have sights on the shamon that just joined the fun?"

She took Sunrise Flare into the air and started to sweep around the plaza, spraying the heavy flamethrower down at the remaining shamon. She was trying to make this quick.

"This is not over yet," booms the distorted voice out of the frame's external sound-horns. "Reload, triage, regroup, and then get ready to follow, keeping me within weapons range. Be on alert for more announcements of tactics and be ready to act on them."

Then the frames' internal comms became alive. "I'm d'Armagnac, going off in search of the big one. Will engage upon sight. Also, this reminds me: once done with the mop-up, we should come up with pseudonyms. Or even two for some. One for use in the Frames, another for professional names under which our audience should know us - surely my real name is awkward for locals."

And with that, Claude rushes in a circling arc towards the source of the new readings, trying to stay out of line of fire. Upon getting visual contact with the monster, the swashbuckler would dive with the blade ready into the fray, cutting not so much to wound as to taunt, then immediately taking a step back. And each time, the step would be in the direction opposite from the machinegunners.

Once the shamon looked sufficiently focused on the mêlée, the speaker-horns blared once more:
"Focus fire! NOW!" and the frame would Blink out of the line of fire.

Only once the mocking gambit was complete, whether successfully or not, would Claude follow up with more committed attacks, hoping to further wound the shamon leader while the machinegunners reloaded.

Chimera takes a moment to confirm her handiwork and to get eyes on the new threat.

"At last, the curse reveals its chosen elite."

A smirk crosses her face as she takes up her chain scythe.

"Kukuku! Useless! All lives are chaff before the reaper's blade! Engaging!"

Paying little regards to Claude's methodical approach, Chimera dashes towards the shamon and whips forth the chain of her weapon. Cutting through the air with a crack, the blade of the chain scythe snaps forth at sonic speed to dismember the shamon.